Ancient Warriors: First Calling
by HotShot14
Summary: Well, LA has taken this story down so I'll post it for her since she is unable to continue it. Might finish it myself if I can boost myself to do it. 5 humans are taken to the Digital World to fight a evil worse then Lucemon and before Lucemon's time
1. Grave Situation! Awakening of Reavermon!

HotShot's Notes: This chapter is written by yours truly, HotShot. Hope you like and it please gives nice review, although me and my friend don't really mind flames!

Lady's Notes: Indeed we don't – Flames are for roasting marshmallows over. Bwahaha. ) This is a joint project between HotShot n' me; we'll alternate chapters. This story is the backstory for HotShot's "Ancient Warriors", so it might benefit you to read that first. (Side note: Mercurymon fans of the world, unite! )

Daylight shone brightly, warming the people who walked beneath it, or at least most of them. One person seemed unable to be warmed by most things. She appeared to be around 16 years old. Her face showed no emotion, just flat indifference. She wore a black shirt with a red trim and she also wore blue jeans, devoid of any type of decoration. Even her hair was simply placed in a simple ponytail and she wore simple white tennis shoes. A cell-phone was strapped to her jeans as she walked, but she wasn't alone.

A young boy, around the age of 10, walked cheerfully beside her. He wore a bright white shirt with a black trim and he wore blue jeans with a white trim. His hair was worn short, slick back with a bit of gel. He wore white tennis shoes and he also had a cell-phone on his jeans. He was an odd contrast to his companion.

"Hey Raze, where are we going again?" His face showed innocent curiosity that let just a bit of warmth enter the girl's, or Raze's, face.

"We're just going to the jewelry store remember Kevin? So why don't you just sit tight for awhile little brother."

"Ok sis."

Raze walked calmly on, until she saw the store that she was looking for. The odd thing that happened next was that a look of disgust flickered over her normally flat face before it reset itself. She looked as though the store was the last place she ever wanted to be, along with her brother. She definitely wanted to be somewhere else.

"Hi! How may I help you," the clerk said from the counter.

"We're just browsing for now," Raze said as she gazed at the necklaces and such. As she was about to make a selection, her brother's and her cell phones began ringing. Raze looked up at the clerk and said," Give us a minute." The two went outside and pulled out their cell phones. Each one had a weird symbol appear on their cell phone screen For Raze's, it was a strange triangle with a skull in the middle; for Kevin's, a large sun. Different voice's spoke from each of the cell phones.

"This is a game to decide your destiny, whether you choose to play or not is up to you. Do you accept?" A cool female voice spoke from Raze's cell phone while a deep gentle male voice spoke from Kevin's. A selection with yes or no appeared on the screen. The two siblings looked at each other with curiosity.

"Well, I guess we say yes," Raze said as the two clicked the yes option. Then instructions appeared on the screen.

"Go to the Shibuya Station and catch the 5:45 pm train." Raze and Kevin gapes at their watches to see that the time was 5:40pm!

"Oh man! We better run!" Raze grabbed Kevin's hand and they sprinted off toward the station. They darted across streets, intersections, and other obstacles before reaching the ticket machines. Raze was about to reach into her pocket to buy a ticket, but then two tickets just popped out. "Well, at least I can save my money" The two of them each grabbed a ticket, jabbed them into the ticket counter and leaped on the train just as it was leaving. Kevin was gasping for air and Raze glanced at her cell phone again. Now, different instructions had appeared.

"Transfer to the 6:00 pm train at the West Shibuya station." Raze looked at her watch again to see that the time was 5:55 pm!

"Come on give us a break! We're trying our hardest," she muttered to herself as the train stopped in front of the next station. She grabbed Kevin's hand again and they darted into the next train. This time, they met a familiar face. A teenage girl with shocking sea blue hair was sitting in one of the seats, looking rather peeved at her cell phone. "Hey Acqua! Didn't expect to see you here!" Acqua looked up in surprise and smiled to see Raze.

"Hey Raze, didn't think you would be either! Did you get the message on your phone to," she asked and Raze nodded. "Man, we are cutting time real close here." But yet again, more instructions appeared.

"Now go the elevator and go to the lowest level you can." The three friends groaned. Now they ran toward the elevator and Raze pushed the button none too gently. They stared at the bar that showed the levels, but were surprised as they went past ground level! The elevator opened and the group was meet with a rather shocking surprise. There was a station right down here with rather strange looking trains. However, it was nearly empty with only three other people. One of them they recognized. His wild black hair was familiar to all of them.

"Hey Lance, over here!" Raze shouted as she waved her arm and Lance look up.

"Hey! Great to see you guys," Lance shouted as he ran toward his friends, a younger girl then them approached them shyly. "This is Diana, just made friends with her." Diana answered their greetings. The last person had already boarded a train and the train was leaving. "Don't know who she is, but we better all catch a train!" The whole group leaped for a strange brown train just as it was about to leave. Safety on board, they explained their history to each other.

"Darn, looks like I'm one of the youngest of the group," Diana said," I'm only 15."

"Well, Lance, Acqua, and I are 16," Raze said.

"I'm 10," Kevin said happily. "So, all of us got the message on our cells?" Everyone nodded.

"I just want to know what's going on," Acqua said when she happen to glance out the window and give a small shriek. Everyone's heads whipped around to a sight that stunned them all. They had exited the tunnel they had been traveling through, and seemed to no longer be in Japan! Then suddenly they watched as their cell phones changed into strange computer looking devices. Different voices spoke from each of the devices.

"These are D-Tectors, they will add you in your journey." Suddenly their train stopped so that each person was pitched to the floor. For a brief second, each person saw the other enveloped within ghost images of strange creatures. Raze's was a silver armored warrior. Kevin's was a large golden armored warrior. Lance's was a large eagle headed gold and silver-armored warriors with sleek wings. Acqua's was a frightening blue green armored sea creature. Diana's was a stunning silver and pearl armored warrior.

"Ok, what just happened?" Lance's question was answered with blank looks. Then a loud whistle made them wince and slap their hands over their ears. Then they felt something basically fling them out the doors. "Alright, who's the jerk who did that!?"

"That would be me, end of the line boys and girls," a bored voice said as everyone looked toward the sound. Acqua gaped, Raze stared, Diana gasped, Kevin's mouth fell open, and Lance's eyes opened wide. The thing that had been talking was the train itself! Raze was the first one to recover and look around. They had arrived at another train station that was parked right in the middle of what looked like a cemetery!

"You have got to be kidding me, a talking train," Lance said.

"I'm not any ordinary train! I'm a Trailmon! And better looking then you to boot," the Trailmon shot back.

"And just where are we," Acqua asked still in shock and the Trailmon answered.

"You're in the Digital World! Most of the things here are called Digimon! Now I have a busy schedule to keep so see ya later!" The Trailmon backed up out of the station and was soon gone from sight.

"Digital World," Raze muttered to herself thoughtfully when her D-Tector began beeping. She was about to look down at it when suddenly a large scythe flew through the air at them. "Duck!" Everyone dove for the floor as the scythe whistled over their heads.

"Good dodge humans! But I will still destroy you," a sly voice said and everyone looked up to see a large ghost like Digimon leering at them.

"What is that," Kevin gasped as his D-Tector answered.

Phantomon

Type: Virus

Description: This ghost Digimon roams the graveyards looking for more souls to add. Beware of his Soul Chopper.

"Soul Chopper!" Phantomon threw his scythe again and this time Raze managed to avoid the blade end, but the handle whapped her hard and she went flying backwards. She skidded in front of a weird angel statue and was dazed as the ghost Digimon flew right for her.

"No! Big sister," Kevin cried out as Raze gaped up at the Digimon who raised his scythe to finish her off. Suddenly a bright intense purple fire spewed out from around the statue and enveloped the two figures within. Phantomon cried out as the flames burned him, but Raze stared around in wonder at how the flames didn't even feel warm to her. Then a bright light caught her attention. Out of the statues outstretched hands appeared a small silver figure. The figure appeared to be kneeling a clutching a bright silver sword. As Raze gazed at it, the area where the figures eyes would be, red slits appeared. Raze suddenly say the same large silver warrior she had appeared as on the train and the warrior wordlessly approached her. Raze felt no alarm as she also walked toward the warrior and as they meet, a power surge of energy shot through her. Purple flames burned in her eyes and she yanked out her D-Tector.

"Spirit," she shouted as the spirit zoomed toward her and was absorbed into the D-Tector. Now she held the D-Tector in front of her and everyone watched in shock as she was enveloped by data.

"Execute! Spirit Evolution!"

"Reavermon!"

Now emerging from the bubble of data was an intimidating, but strangely beautiful warrior. Her bright silver armor glittered brightly, her sword gleamed as light glided over it, and her shield had a cross with a skull craved in the middle. Reavermon's eyes glowed red briefly before changing in Raze's dark black, soulful eyes. Her helmet covered her head completely; the only bit of flesh they could see was her eyes. A blood red cape fluttered behind her and the figure was encased completely in silver armor. A purple triangle with a skull was shimmering brightly upon the warrior's chest armor.

"Wow, who is that?" Kevin asked. His face was filled with great shock and such. "Could that be my sister?"

"Impossible! An Ancient Warrior!? But they're only fairy tales," Phantomon spluttered as he looked at what had been what he had thought was only a puny human. The silver figure only raised her sword to face level with the edged ends facing her and her opponent. The warrior's black eyes showed nothing but coldness as she gazed at her adversary.

"Well, I'm no fairy tale am I?" Then Reavermon sprinted forward with startling speed. She now was only a silver blur as she dashed toward the shocked Phantomon.

"No! Soul Chopper!" The evil Digimon desperately sliced toward Reavermon, but completely missed as he hit nothing but air, the warrior had completely disappeared.

"Sorry, but you need to work on your aim! Justice Kick!" Reavermon now appeared behind the evil Digimon and her powerful kick sent him sprawling along the ground until he collided with a gravestone. "Now to finish you off! Reaver Blade!" She now slashed with her sword as a yellow sword beam flashed out and sliced Phantomon in half. He wailed as a ring of data appeared around him Reavermon approached him. "Phantomon, your evil quest is over! Be purified by the ones you have wrongfully taken! Fractal Code Digitize!" She scanned the data of the Digimon as a white Digiegg appeared and floated out of sight.

"Wow! She's totally awesome!" Diana shouted this as everyone ran toward Reavermon as she once gain was surrounded by data and then as the data dispersed, Raze appeared with a rather dazed and stunned look on her face. Kevin reached his sister first and nearly knocked her over as he jumped on her.

"You're the best big sister! You rock!" Raze's face flushed as everyone surrounded her and praised her. Suddenly her D-Tector flashed as the string of data she had just scanned streamed out and went to what looked like an empty area. Everyone looked on with awe as the data morphed and the empty area was transformed into land that connected to another area in the distance where everyone could see a large meadow and forest and another Trailmon was entering that area.

"Come on you guys. Let's go check out that place! This graveyard is creeping me out," Acqua said shuddering as everyone laughed and joked as they traveled.

Meanwhile, within another area, ten large figures watched the small group through a large crystal.

"Interesting, so it is true. The Ancient Warriors do exist," a growling voice said coming from a large dinosaur-like creature.

"Yes AncientGreymon, and it is also true that their spirits can only be accessed by humans. We do not yet know of what their purpose is, but we will watch them closely," a female voice spoke that appeared to be a rather bizarre bird-like Digimon.

"Perhaps we should send them a guide to aid them, AncientIrismon. Might I suggest one of my own," a cool male voice said that appeared to be a large floating mirror wearing heavy robes with glowing yellow eyes.

"Very well AncientWisemon, send your warrior to aid them," another spoke, this time a large humanoid white wolf-like Digimon with large blades on his arms.

"Thank you AncientGarurumon," AncientWisemon said as small ball of light was sent from where they were outside. From the ball, was the silhouette of a tall green armored warrior with large shields on his arms and mirrors on him appeared and then disappeared in the shadows.

HotShot's Notes: Well, did you all like it? Please read and review!

Lady's Notes: What she said. ;-)


	2. The Living Legend! Holicmon!

Lady's Notes: Well, here's my chapter. Sorry this took so long – my computer was gone for nearly two months. But it's back, so all is well. . Well, almost all…FF.N doesn't always understand that I want something italicized, so if something sounds like it ought to be italicized but isn't, it probably was. Just pretend it's italicized.

HotShot's Notes: Lady's back! Yaaay! ; Please read and review, but most of all – enjoy!

"What the crap is this thing?"

The girl pawed the D-Tector disapprovingly, turning it over in her hands, testing its weight in her grip, and pushing buttons at random in the hopes of instigating some response. None; the black-and-white device didn't so much as bleep. The tiny square monitor, enclosed by a hexagonal decal that made it look larger than it actually was, remained dead.

"Great. First the phone talks to me, then it freaking mutates." Already she could envision the inevitable: _"I know you told me not to lose my new phone, Mom, and I didn't! It just transformed into a weirdo piece of junk when I caught a train beneath the subway, right after somebody sent me a voice message telling me to check yes or no on my destiny! I'll buy another one with my own money, I promise!"_

Somehow, she had the feeling her parents weren't going to buy that story, true as it might be. But given the situation, Kumi Kitagawa figured that her parents' foreseeable reprimands ought to be very low on her list of things to worry about. Getting grounded was only slightly less important right now than certain other things, such as solving the riddle of "What the heck is going on here?"

Good question. No answer.

Grimacing, the sixteen-year-old clipped her D-Tector to the belt of her black jeans, rebellious-looking affairs bedecked with zippers, chains, elastic bands, and cargo pockets. Her overall attire said 'not quite punk': form-fitting white shirt adorned with a fanciful ebony butterfly, white tennis shoes with black laces, zebra-striped socks, and a wristband on each arm – one black, one white. A bold choker bearing the yin-yang insignia summarized her outfit well, as the opposite ends of the spectrum seemed to be all she wore. The only proper color visible on her at all was the rich bronze of her short hair and her verdant eyes, the hue of an uncut emerald. Her nondescript face and figure probably wouldn't stand out in a crowd, but her clothing might; she could have strolled into the monochromatic realm of old television shows and blended in without incident.

Except this wasn't an old TV show, and it certainly wasn't monochromatic. Kumi shielded her eyes with a hand and gazed at the vibrant alien world stretched out before her, a sea of yellow knee-high grass waving in every direction. Broken only by some trees to the right that suggested a forest, the honey-colored meadowland emitted the aroma of unseen wildflowers and fresh earth, nothing like the reek of smog that permeated Tokyo. A handful of wispy clouds threaded their way through the stunningly cerulean sky, doing nothing to block the rays of the burning noonday sun.

_If I hadn't pinched myself, I'd swear this was a dream._

Fingering the yin-yang on her necklace, Kumi stepped onto the nearby railroad tracks for a few inches' elevation and checked both ways for any of the trains from the underground station. Certainly the one she had ridden was long gone; it had taken off as soon as she had stepped into this clearing to stretch her legs. Though effectively stranded, the girl had reasoned that another of the mysterious locomotives would trundle by sooner or later and let her hitch a ride back to civilization. Not that she knew _how _that would happen, as the train she had boarded under the subway hadn't seemed to have any operators. Or other passengers, for that matter.

"Well, this is just peachy!"

Kumi kicked a stone for emphasis, watching it tumble across the springy grass as a zephyr rustled her hair. Absently readjusting some displaced strands, she again scanned about for something – anything – that might tell her where she was, or whether there was any life besides her in the vicinity.

_Nope,_ was the flat conclusion._ Just me and Mother Nature. Wonderful._

"So what am I supposed to do now?!"

When she failed to receive an answer from any of the inanimate objects around her, the teenager hopped down from the tracks and punted another rock, as though it was responsible for her plight.

Guess this means I've gotta go find out what the heck is going on. What on Earth had possessed her to not only acknowledge, but obey that stupid phone message? "Choose your fate"…Upon reflection, it sounded like a load of garbage.

Lesson of the day: The word "fate" actually means getting dumped in the middle of nowhere by a freaky train thing. Her eyes darkened as the ramifications of what she had gotten herself into became apparent. Oh, dang…I am so screwed. If I don't get home before seven-thirty, Mom will kill me, bury me, dig me up and kill me again. Then she'll let Dad have a go at it.

Without a second thought, Kumi pointed herself in the direction of the grove of trees and began walking.

The ball of light hovered over a patch of clear ground amidst the trees, brushed the earth, then fizzled and dissolved into nothing almost instantly. The figure within gained his bearings and frowned, thin lips pursed in dissatisfaction.

"'Tis a bit distant from the children's location," Mercurymon noted aloud, out of habit. "Some searching may be in order."

Ah, well. It had taken time to get from the Ten Elemental Warriors' stronghold to the fringe of the Wind Continent, and it stood to reason that the humans would have traveled at least some distance by then. Raising his left arm, the metallic humanoid tilted the mounted circular shield towards himself and tapped its surface with a finger. The mirror shimmered, rippled, then faded to translucence, revealing a group of five adolescents making their way towards the forest. Mercurymon nodded as best as he could without a proper head and dropped his arm, letting the image evaporate before striding forward.

_So…the Ancient Warriors art truth, not fiction. _It wasn't disturbing, just something of an intellectual revelation. The Ancient Warriors were the heroes of fairy-tales; every day, children around the world fantasized of the Warriors' mighty deeds, and every night, bedtime stories about Reavermon and her allies kept little ones entertained. They were fantastical tales, wherein mythical 'humans' descended from another world and donned the mighty Spirits of the Ancient Warriors, defeating evil forces and saving the universe from peril after terrible peril.

But they were imaginary, mere superheroes. No one _believed _in the Ancient Warriors, or their Spirits, and only those learned enough to recognize the existence of the "organic world" believed in humans.

_And yet, 'tis true_._ But who – or what – hath brought them here? _

Mercurymon's footsteps crunched softly against the leafy carpet of the forest, patches of sunlight sporadically flashing off of his reflective body. He temporarily turned away from his musings and enjoyed the tranquility of the lush haven around him, so unlike the infinite battlefield the interior of the continent was becoming. It reassured him that even with all the current upheaval, there still remained places untouched by pandemonium. The silence here was not the silence of death or devastation, but that of peace and harmony between Digimon and their homeland. At least in this one sheltered corner of the planet, all was well.

"SOMEBODY HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Or not.

"YIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEK!"

Bushes thwaped harmlessly against Mercurymon's armored body as he sprinted through the undergrowth, following the undulating shriek of the distressed stranger.

'_Tis a dame, by the sound of it, _was his only thought before he burst through a tangle of brush and beheld a wild Boarmon, eyes blazing with savage fury as it reared and tore into the base of a tree. Sharp tusks gouged trenches into the thick wood, its front hooves clapping against the trunk as though to climb it. Stepping back a few paces and bellowing, the fiery pig threw itself forward in a Slamming Attack; the tree cracked audibly and visibly in response.

None of this would have been a problem except for the fact that there was a human girl in the said tree, clutching desperately to a limb and screaming.

CRACK!

The tree creaked, pieces of bark chipping off as it tilted a dangerous fraction. Clouds of steam spewed from the incensed Boarmon's nostrils; it rammed the wood again, the blow causing a two-foot rift to appear in the weakened trunk. The girl yelped at this, then again when she noticed Mercurymon.

He distinctly heard her cry of, "What the hell?!" before he dove for the Boarmon, diverting its attention away from its victim. Blazing orange eyes flared indignantly, and the beast charged, but a deft swipe by Mercurymon slammed a heavy metal mirror-shield between its eyes. The pig's thick skull saved it from a concussion, but not by much. One hard kick later, the Boarmon turned tail and scampered into the undergrowth, oinking in pain and defeat.

"A little help up here?!"

The tree continued to snap within, splintering at the base. Desperate fingernails dug into the bark, seeking a better hold even as the entire tree wobbled.

"Hey, whatever the heck you are down there – HELP ME! This thing's gonna fall!"

"Jump!"

"WHAT?!" The girl's eyes widened incredulously. "Are you crazy?!"

"I said jump, milady! 'Tis the only safe way!"

"What do you mean SAFE?!"

CRUU—UUUUUUUNN-CH!

Wood chips shattered in all directions as the broken tree reeled before beginning to topple, its moaning like a thousand bones snapping at once. The girl trapped in its death throws braced herself as if to jump, lost her balance, and plunged straight down as the tree crushed a horizontal path through the foliage.

"OOF!"

The breath flew from her lungs forcefully as though she had been rammed in the chest. Her eyes remained clamped shut as the entire world was reduced to the roar of the falling tree and the palpable shock of its impact on the earth.

Then there was silence.

…Yikes…

Kumi forced her eyelids open and stared at the sunlight streaming through the gaping hole in the forest canopy. The tree's fractured stump sat as a fresh reminder that it had been healthy and over twenty feet tall ten minutes ago.

Man, that was one pissed pig…

"Thou canst stand, milady?"

Kumi made a noise that sounded like a rodent being stepped on and scrambled to the ground from where she had been in the arms of…of whatever he was. Apparently, he had caught her as she had fallen, which explained the sudden impact yet lack of broken limbs.

"Art thou injured?"

Rubbing an elbow with one hand and brushing her clothing with the other, Kumi took time to answer the question, her focus directed more at the baffling figure himself than at his query. He looked for all the world like somebody's full-length mirror had decided to sprout limbs and walk off. Tall and steely jade in color, with a rectangular mirror mounted in his chest and a round one above that, the figure looked like nothing Kumi had ever heard of in her life. A human form was definitely implied, but the objective was defied by the shield-like mirrors mounted on each of his arms, bolted directly to his metal body. His conical upper portion failed to resemble a head or neck in any way, save for the adorning mirror; set approximately where a face ought to be, it bore a pair of light purple lips.

As if the day hadn't been weird enough already.

"I'm fine, I think." Kumi tenderly nursed a developing bruise. "Nothing serious, thanks to…" She faltered. "…You. Um…Whoever you are."

The sentient furniture accessory half bowed at the waist.

"Thou art welcome," he replied, his smoothly deep voice and Shakespearean accent a far cry from the slang Kumi was accustomed to. "What bringeth thee in this direction? I assumed thy comrades and thee wer't yet to tread this far."

Kumi took a moment to translate what she had been asked, then cocked an eyebrow.

"'Comrades?' You mean, like, other people? I haven't seen any…"

_Those other kids in the train station? Some of them wound up here, too?_

The metal figure's mouth twisted in a way that suggested puzzlement.

"'Twould seem that ye humans wouldeth have come collectively; yea, I wer't sent forth in search of thy group. Dost thou mean to imply that thou hath entered the Digital World alone?"

Kumi blinked several times.

"Um…Yes, I think." _What is the heck is he saying?_ "But can you hold up for a sec? I mean, no offense, but I'd really like to know what's going on here. Like why a flaming pig just chased me up a tree."

"'Twas merely a Boarmon," the stranger explained nonchalantly, shrugging. "Territorial beasts, but their tongues art worse than their tempers."

"Boar…_mon?" _The girl shook her head, trying to process the name. "Okay, I get the 'boar' part, but what's a 'mon'? And no offense, but what the freakin' heck are _you? _You look like…" Her eyes swept him from top to bottom. "…Well, I don't really know what the crap you look like."

This wasn't the most gracious way to phrase the question; her rescuer scowled accordingly.

"I, good lady, am Mercurymon, the Warrior of Steel." He raised an arm-mounted shield to illustrate the point. "I hath been sent as an ambassador by the Elemental Warriors to seek the humans who hath arrived unexpectedly into our world. 'Tis not a common thing when legends rise to life."

He might as well have been speaking Swahili for all that Kumi understood him. Slowly, she attempted to pick apart the information, trying to find some rationale inside the mess.

"Digital World?" she finally echoed. "And that would be this place?"

"Verily, milady." Mercurymon's sweeping gesture indicated not only the forest but the entire globe. "Thou art in the Digital World. All that you seeith here hath been created of fractal code."

"Fraggdal who?"

"Data."

"Oh."

The conversation halted abruptly as Kumi collected her scrambled thoughts.

Digital World?…A world made entirely of data?

_Wow._

_Maybe I fell in the subway and hit my head _really_ hard…_

"'Tis populated by Digimon like myself," Mercurymon continued, interrupting Kumi's reverie. "Digital Monsters, if thou wishest for the proper name, though in fact—"

"Whoaaaaaokay. Baaack up there a second, Merc!" Kumi pantomimed the action to emphasize her disbelief. "How, exactly, did this happen? I mean, sure, the whole underground train thing was pretty whack, but I didn't think it was gonna lead to _this. _I mean…how…Why?…"

Stupid piece of junk! she thought suddenly, running bewildered fingers along the edge of her D-Tector. First it tells me to get on the freaky train, then once I get off, it gives me a stupid beepy-signal leading straight to what? A killer psycho fire-pig and Shakespeare reincarnated as a mirror. This is beyond insane.

"Milady?"

Mercurymon waved a hand gently in front of Kumi's face, attempting to regain her attention.

"Doth there be something the matter?"

"That's _it_; I am officially freaked out!" the girl blurted, backing away from Mercurymon a few paces. "Isn't there anything normal in this crazy—"

"HEY!"

Kumi and Mercurymon both whirled to see a black-haired boy burst through a tangled bush a few yards away, catching his breath and waving towards the wreckage behind them.

"I told y'all so! A tree _did _fall, it's right—" He then noticed the two figures standing before him and started.

"WHOA! There're _people, _too!"

"There's _what?" _

Acqua yanked violently on the turquoise jacket tied around her waist, managing to free it from a twig's grasp. With a determined grunt, she shoved a looming branch away and struggled a few more feet through the undergrowth.

"Lance, can you give a hand here?" Her muffled words caused an arm to reach back into the brush and grasp her own, yanking her through the ensnaring foliage. The both of them then wrestled with the greenery just enough to let Diana, Kevin, and Raze through before prying themselves away from its clutches.

"Oww…" Acqua delicately pulled a briar from her palm and winced. "Geez, why'd we have to go _through _the thorn bush?"

No one answered. Curious, the blue-haired girl looked up from her hand and involuntarily dropped her jaw.

Striding towards them was quite possibly the strangest creature any of them had ever seen…if creature it was. It looked more like a mirror with limbs. And lips.

"Is that another Digimon?" Kevin whispered, instinctively hugging a little closer to his older sister. Raze's fingers slipped down towards her D-Tector; it didn't _look _hostile, but then again—

"My greetings, children," said the mirror diplomatically, coming to a halt before them. "Be not afraid, for I bear thee no ill will. I hath been sent to guide thee, not do thee harm."

That voice…

Raze felt her belligerence wane even as her common sense warned her not to trust automatically. Trust wasn't something she did on a regular basis anyway, yet somehow…

_He won't hurt us. _

"How do we know you're not lying?" she heard herself question cautiously, with suspicion she did not actually feel. "What's your name and business?"

The mirror spread his hands wide in a mollifying gesture.

"I am Mercurymon, the Warrior of Steel." He bowed. "My fullest respects, milady. Art thou not the one who beareth the Spirit of Souls?"

Startled, Raze glanced down at her D-Tector and back up at the Digimon.

"Yes, I am…How did you know?"

Mercurymon's thin lips curved in a small smile of…was it amusement?

"Again, I hath been sent to aid thee. Thy coming hath been noted by the Ten, and I am their ambassador to thee. If thou wishest, I wilt conduct thee to them and—"

"Oh, cut the crap!"

Everyone started as someone emerged from behind Mercurymon – a scowling girl around sixteen with a D-Tector strapped to her waist. In obvious annoyance, she began adjusting a lopsided wristband.

"I saw you guys at the train station," she testified. "Who are y'all? And do you freakin' mind? Merc here was giving me the 411 before youbusted in on us." She threw an accusatory glare at the group.

"Peace, milady," Mercurymon insisted, blocking her with one of his arm-mounted shield mirrors. "'Tis fortunate they arrived, or I wouldeth have been forced to seek them out. Methinks they art as much in need of an explanation as thee."

"Got that right!" Lance planted himself where he stood and cocked his head to the side, spiked hair bristling. "Mercury-shmercury – we just wanna know what's up with this whole 'Digital World' deal! First we get called here by our cell phones, then Raze morphs out into a kung-pow armor thing and kicks a ghost's butt!" He flashed a grin at the girl in question. "Not that it wasn't totally awesome, but still."

"'Twas no mere 'armor thing', lad; 'twas Reavermon, the Ancient Warrior of Souls," Mercurymon corrected. "Apparently, the five of thee hath been summoned—"

"Six!" barked Kumi, frowning. "I got the stupid message too, y'know!"

"—The _six _of thee hath been summoned by the Ancient Warriors to don their Spirits and take up arms against the forces that plagueth our world," he finished. "Thou art in the Digital World, a coded counterpart to thy organic homeland, and we who reside here art called 'Digimon' – digital monsters. Though such a title seemeth barbaric in mine own opinion."

"Things that chuck scythes at you qualify as barbaric!" Diana said vehemently. "At least Raze or Reavermon or whoeverwas enough to take that thing down."

"Ancient Warriors…" Raze toyed thoughtfully with the buttons on her D-Tector. "Phantomon mentioned something about me – Reavermon – being a fairy tale. Is that true?"

"Aye." Mercurymon's upper portion dipped in what could have been a nod. "The Ancient Warriors art no more than whimsical fantasies of yore. 'Tis remarkable that such legends art in fact reality."

"And what does the legend of the Ancient Warriors say?" Raze pressed. "Anything that might help us figure out why we're here?"

The metallic Digimon's semblance of a face looked as pondersome as a mirror could; around him, the six humans silenced themselves expectantly.

"'Tis not a straightforward thing, milady," Mercurymon finally answered. "The legends art as old as the Digital World itself, and much hath been lost through the years. Whence the story came or by whom 'twas concocted art mysteries. The tales vary from region to region, but hath one element in common – that the Ancient Warriors wouldeth summon humans from another world to battle the evils of our realm, and that only the chosen humans couldeth utilize the Spirits of those mighty heroes."

"And the thing I found was Reavermon's Spirit." It made sense, in a fantastical sort of way. Raze rubbed her thumb against the D-Tector's On button. "She called me here to fight."

"'Twould seemeth so. Apparently, the Ancient Warriors hath seen the six of thee fit to support our world in this, its time of crisis."

"Crisis?" Kevin's query reflected the sentiments of the others. "What's going on? What's wrong here?"

Mercurymon stifled a bitter sigh.

"War."

_Civil war, huh?_

Kumi violently shoved aside another low-lying limb and trudged deeper into the forest, following the flashing indicator on her D-Tector.

_Give me a break. It's not my fault they're having social problems here._

Mercurymon had blathered on about some angel named Lucemon having started to ravage the land after bringing years of peace to it, and about the factions who were fighting against his growing dictatorship. And about how Kumi and the others were supposed to "help restore order by aiding in the valiant struggle with the Fallen One".

_Pst. Whatever. I don't need that crap. _

She had stalked off quietly in the middle of his rambling; no one had noticed or cared. Not that she had expected them to. Or wanted them to. She didn't know those people and didn't see a good reason to become all buddy-buddy just because they were in the same boat.

They can go get themselves slaughtered if they want to. Doesn't mean I have to be an idiot and follow.

Shoving her way past yet another web of underbrush, Kumi stopped and consulted her blinking D-Tector. One thing _had _sounded meaningful in Mercurymon's oration: she had been called here by an Ancient Warrior who wanted her to have its Spirit, and this gadget that had been her cell phone would lead her to it. She had been following its signal before she had encountered the Boarmon, but now she actually knew what the tiny yellow sphere _meant _and wasn't hesitant to go after it. Forget any gallant responsibilities that might be attached to the thing.

I'm close, she noted. Let's see…I think I only have to keep ahead a little longer…

Looking up, Kumi found her view blocked after ten feet by a hedge of thorny bushes that extended horizontally for as far as her eye could see. Not exactly heartening, especially since her clothing had already suffered some superficial but noticeable damage from hiking through the forest.

_I am _not _going through that; I already look like a jungle freak, _the girl thought, plucking pieces of plant life from her person. _I hope the rest of this stupid place isn't as nature-y as this. _

Checking the signal yet again, Kumi looked both ways before arbitrarily deciding to head left and followed the wall of briars through the woods. Expecting to find an opening within minutes, she found herself traipsing still after a good quarter of an hour, with no indications of breakage. Futilely, she scrambled up and down the immediate area, seeking a way to pass the barricade. No luck.

"Well, crap."

Kumi grit her teeth and snatched up a stone, lobbing it at the offending growth in frustration. It rustled the net of thorns, but failed to magically provide a way through them. With an angry snarl, she slammed her fist against a tree trunk and glowered at her D-Tector.

"Knew it couldn't be that easy!" she growled, clenching the device in an iron grip. "Had to be some catch to this Ancient Warrior deal…"

Her frustration smoldered for a while longer, but the D-Tector continued beeping and the Spirit came no closer to her grasp. Gradually, she began to calm herself, taking a few soothing breaths to quicken the process.

_Think, Kumi. _She craned her neck back to peer with residual annoyance at the intimidating blockade. _Can't go through it, can't go around it, can't go under it, can't go over it…_

Or can I?

The thorny impediment wasn't terribly tall – perhaps fifteen feet. Hunting about, Kumi located a tree growing near the base of the partition and threw a speculative eye over it. Yes, an overhanging branch. Perfect.

With surprising agility, the girl clambered up the trunk and swung herself onto the branch, perching there like a determined hawk. Her gaze traveled over the top of the hedge below her and towards the forest beyond – and she gasped.

It wasn't a forest at all. The thorns, she saw, formed a protective barrier around a small grassy area, clear save for the low, Japanese-style building squatting in the midst of it. It couldn't be more than a single room, judging by its tiny size, but its style and the statues guarding it told Kumi it was some kind of shrine – Buddhist or Shinto, she couldn't tell. Maybe neither. Either way, it didn't matter, because her D-Tector's beeping suddenly accelerated and she knew she'd found the right place.

Easing her way hand-over-hand across the sturdy branch, Kumi smirked triumphantly at the thorns beneath her before reaching the edge of the limb; or, at least, getting as far out as she could without snapping it.

"Going down," she said aloud, bracing herself for the leap. "Here's to my second tree-jumping experience in an hour…"

This time, however, fared much better than the first; for although she had no one to catch her, Kumi wasn't free-falling, and landed safely if shakily on her feet. Regaining her composure, the girl straightened, then cried out as her D-Tector emitted a searing beam of light.

"OWW! Geez, that burned…"

Snatching the object from her waist, Kumi aimed it at the shrine (where the beam seemed to be directed anyway) and gingerly stepped forward. When nothing exploded, she broke into a trot that quickly turned into a half-run and covered the distance in seconds, skidding to a halt at the doors of the sacred building. Her hand moved as if to knock, then simply gripped the rice paper door and slid it open sideways.

"Hello?"

The spice of incense clogged her nostrils, and she sneezed a couple of times before leaving the door open for ventilation. Once enough of the potent scent had wafted out, the girl slipped into the shrine and used her D-Tector's light to examine the small room.

"Weird…" she muttered, taking in the multicolored flames flickering on translucent candles, the multitudinous statuettes of creatures (or gods?) she had never seen before, and the eerie closeness of the space in general; as though, despite its well-kept appearance, she had been the shrine's only visitor for a long, long time.

Or maybe just the only visitor…

The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she turned a full circle, the only thing she had room to do in the close quarters. It was even smaller than it looked from the outside.

Now where's that Spirit?

Tentative fingers brushed over the room's many religious artifacts, touching some holy symbols she recognized and many she didn't. Eventually her eye was drawn towards the very rear of the shrine, where her D-Tector's now dim light was streaming into a crystal sphere set upon a marble dais. Next to this rested a slab of polished stone, onto which an inscription had been delicately engraved. Kumi knelt, careful not to upset anything, and squinted in the semidarkness, deciphering the kanji.

"'The shrine of sanctity rests here to protect all who dwell in this forest from the evils of old. Any who disturb it shall be cursed with a thousand afflictions, lest a fool release the horrors contained by its holy strength.' Lovely, but it doesn't say anything about a Spirit."

Dismissing the useless warning, the girl poked around a bit more, inspecting anything that might possibly be the Spirit of her Ancient Warrior. It didn't help that she had absolutely no idea what one of these Spirits was supposed to _look _like. It could be any of the dozens of relics around her. An ivory carving of a serpent, a clay sculpture of a springing panther, dozens of trinkets of unrecognizable material molded into arcane shapes and symbols…

Again, Kumi found herself inexplicably attracted to the back of the shrine. This time, however, she ignored the carved admonition and instead scrutinized the crystal ball next to it, tracing its circumference with curious fingers. Cupping the heavy sphere in her hands, she lifted it off of its dais and turned it this way and that in the insufficient illumination, trying to locate any distinguishing features or markings.

If you turn it this way, it kind of looks like there's a yin-yang inside, she observed, tilting it to the right. Must be one of those optical illusion things.

Shrugging, Kumi gave up on the useless if appealing item and set it back in its place on the smooth stand.

What else—

At that moment, three things happened in rapid succession: Kumi turned and jarred the dais, the crystal orb fell to the floor and shattered, and every candle in the shrine went out.

…Crap.

Then there was a small earthquake, and the building collapsed.

"OVER HERE!"

Diana's call was half-wheeze; she clutched at a stitch in her side and slowed to a halt in front of a towering mass of thorns. The other humans and Mercurymon followed close behind her, stopping before the tangled obstruction.

"_Why…_did that girl…have to run off?" Acqua demanded between breaths. "And what was_ that?"_

_That _being the tremor that had knocked the group off of their feet moments ago as they had been combing the woods for Kumi. No one could make a completely logical connection between her absence and the mild earthquake, but it was obvious that the latter had something to do with the former. And probably not in a good way.

"You think she's through this?" Diana questioned, sizing up the hedge. "Looks pretty dense to me…"

"And with good reason – 'tis the shield for the Forest Shrine," Mercurymon informed them. "Within these brambles resteth a holy site said to protect this forest from evil."

"Really?" Kevin's eyes sparkled with avid interest. "Does it actually do that?"

As if on cue, the sky darkened to an ominous purple and the temperature dropped several noticeable degrees. A sudden gust from behind the hedge rattled it ferociously, slapping their faces with a grim burst of wind.

"Not anymore," Raze surmised grimly, reaching for her D-Tector. "What did that girl _do?" _

Before Raze could lay a finger on her D-Tector, Mercurymon had raised his right arm and shot a blast of green energy from its mirror, vaporizing the immediate portion of the imposing barrier. Lance whistled appreciatively.

"_Nice!" _was all he said before diving through the sizeable puncture. The others exchanged glances at his impulsiveness before ducking in after him; Mercurymon had to nearly bend double to fit himself through the opening.

Fortunately, the barrier wasn't nearly as wide as it was long, and in moments the six of them emerged into a circular clearing of short grass. Whatever shrine had once stood there was gone; all that remained was a carpet of material fragments from some explosion. Wood, steel, clay, and even semiprecious stones were strewn thickly over the grass, as though someone had smashed every icon in the shrine and then blown the whole thing up twice. As the group tentatively closed in on the wreckage, a distinctive black crater became visible in the ground, where the foundation of the building ought to have been.

"…_What _did that girl _do?" _Raze repeated, nudging a chipped stone cow's head with the toe of her shoe.

"You…you don't think she…?" Acqua wondered, but Raze just snorted.

"No. If all of this is in pieces, she would be, too. We'd see at least some of her lying around."

"Er…Right." As accustomed as she was to Raze's bluntness, Acqua couldn't help but make a repulsed face before continuing to delicately pick her way through the debris. Ahead of her, Mercurymon, Diana, and Lance were peering down at the crater, attempting to figure out what had created it.

"It wasn't an explosion," Diana concluded immediately, studying a shard of clay. "Nothing's burnt. There was some sort of blast, definitely, but no explosives involved. And that wouldn't explain the sky, either." She jerked her thumb towards the clouds, which remained the inky color they had taken on minutes ago. "That's the part that creeps me out."

"'Tis no squall that staineth the skies such vile hues." Mercurymon frowned uneasily. "I fear 'tis some devilry unbound by the destruction of this holy place. Such temples art often the lock that keepeth a dangerous exile imprisoned, though I myself hath never encountered such a situation."

Lance squinted at the sky, feigning dubiousness.

"Well, I don't see any reason to start a panic-fest," he said good-naturedly. "C'mon, what're the odds that this old place was a jail cell for some psychopathic—"

The rest of his sentence was swallowed by a roaring cackle that reverberated through the darkened forest and froze the blood in everyone's veins. Shrieks and gasps caught painfully in people's throats; everyone but Raze and Mercurymon went slightly pale. The demonic laughter boomed again, sending chills scampering down various spines.

"_FOOLS!"_

Evil and arrogance and insane ecstasy swilled together into one scream of triumph. A mighty wind knocked Lance, Diana, and Mercurymon out of the shallow crater, which glowed a hellish crimson from beneath before spouting a column of flame high enough to pierce above the treetops of the surrounding woodland. Within it shimmered a dark figure, shrouded by the fiery veil and laughing mirthlessly.

"…Okay, so you're right," Lance admitted squeakily, staring as the fire and the laughter began to grow. "Um…Plan, anybody?"

Any possible reply was drowned in the next roaring boom that sent a seismic shockwave through the clearing. The towering flames dimmed first to purple and then an unholy black before dissipating, folding away in flickering layers to expose the demon concealed beneath them.

"At last…" The creature's blood-red eyes narrowed to slits; its face parted in a wicked, fanged smile. "I am FREE!"

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: Devimon

Type: Virus

Description: An evil demon who was sealed underground for his heinous behavior. His Touch of Evil corrupts even the noblest Digimon, and his Death Claw sends his enemies straight to the grave!

"MOVE IT!" Lance hollered instantly, grabbing Diana's wrist and yanking her up from where she had been thrown next to him. The two scrambled towards the others, Devimon's cackling driving nails of fear into their stomachs. Mercurymon remained where he had been tossed, bracing himself defensively.

"Surrender thyself, devil, lest ye be apprehended by force!"

The demand was met with an amused grin that bared Devimon's glistening teeth.

"You pathetic fool! I AM FREE!" Black energy crackled across the demon's body as he stretched his ragged wings and long arms elatedly. He flexed taloned hands, clenching one into a fist. "Free to enjoy the delight of killing again, after so long…"

Thunder bellowed in synchrony with Devimon's mad laughter. With one powerful flap, he ascended even further above the clearing, eyes shining down on the group like dual flames.

"Now, which of you is first?"

Mercurymon's chest mirror reflected the few scattered rays of light, causing him to flash like a beacon in the ethereal twilight. His scowl clashed deeply with Devimon's smirk.

"Thou art unwise to assume that thy liberation granteth thee true freedom. I wilt put a stop to thee!"

"Don't bother, Mercurymon."

The collected command attracted all attention to Raze, who reached for her D-Tector and switched it on, cold eyes never leaving the demon hovering above.

"I'll handle this idiot," she said quietly. "It's my duty as an Ancient Warrior, after all." The device's silver portions shimmered in a beam of light refracted off of Mercurymon as the girl raised it up to the darkened sky.

"SPIRIT!" Her summon was audible even over a sudden crack of thunder. "Come to me! _Execute – Spirit Evolution!"_

The D-Tector's screen shimmered, glowing brightly with the symbol of souls for all of three seconds before flickering out.

"…What?!"

Frantic fingers poked every button, black eyes darting across its surface in obvious bewilderment.

"Why won't it answer me?!"

"Spirit?" Devimon emitted another howling laugh and backwinged. "Don't insult me with old wives' tales, human!"

"Hold thy tongue!" Mercurymon ordered, raising a shield and charging up a beam attack. The Virus Digimon leered at the Warrior of Steel.

"Holy thy_ fire_," he mimicked, "else you might slay one of your little fleshy friends!"

"But…" Kevin's voice quaked; he fought to control it. "He can't hit us; we're behind him!"

The group's confusion lasted only until Devimon cupped his large hands and shot out a ray of violet energy, which solidified into the unmistakable form of Kumi. Gagged and bound by invisible constraints, she floated directly in Mercurymon's line of fire and squirmed violently, eyes wide. Her D-Tector was not on her person.

"This little lady's clumsiness allowed me to escape. I do suppose I owe her a thank-you." Twelve-inch claws wrapped around Kumi's neck, resting on her throat. "How about a one-way trip to hell?"

"How about you shut up and put her down?!" Acqua retorted. "Only cowards use hostages as shields!"

"Do they really?" Devimon asked lightly, as though Acqua's comment had intrigued him. "Well, I suppose I'll just let her go, then…"

Kumi's magical restraints dissolved. With a scream, she plummeted to the crater directly below in a thirty-foot fall that ended with a sickening crack. Neither the children nor Mercurymon could see into the depression from where they were standing, but they didn't need to. Devimon's grin told them everything.

"You…YOU…" Diana choked over her own enraged words. "You MONSTER!"

The devil laughed again; Mercurymon raised an arm-shield, but Devimon snorted disdainfully.

"Pah! Your meager attacks cannot harm me." A thin barrier of misty red energy appeared in front of him. "Go ahead and give me your best!"

Explosive white light burst upwards from the crater, engulfing Devimon and causing him to screech in anguish. The flare tore through the unnatural stormclouds in the sky and dissolved them like fire burning away dew, until the sun shone unimpeded upon the forest. A tornado of pure light formed from the remains of the detonation before dispersing, leaving a holy aura shimmering in the immediate area of the crater.

"What madness is this?!" hissed Devimon, flexing his claws angrily and squinting.

Inside of the iridescence floated an unharmed Kumi, her D-Tector suspended at her side and beaming light at a figurine hovering above the remains of some shattered crystal. The statuette grew too bright to gaze upon, but Kumi's eyes remained locked on it, focused as though unable to perceive the brilliance. A vaporous figure floated out of the Spirit, almost too translucent to perceive; the onlookers distinguished the shape of a winged humanoid before the ghost and the girl took two steps forward and strode directly into one another. Kumi's D-Tector absorbed the statuette and fell into her hand, its screen emblazoned with a yin-yang sign.

"EXECUTE…" She thrust her shining device to the heavens. "SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Streams of blinding fractal code spewed from the device, swallowing Kumi completely and causing everyone to shield their eyes again. Moments later, the data vanished, and an Ancient Warrior soared upwards to face the bewildered Devimon.

"HOLICMON!"

Pearly white, metal angel wings sprouted from the warrior's back, permanently set in slicing curves to either side of her. Smaller versions of these metallic wings swept back from the armor atop her head and the heels of her boots, the latter's white leather matching that of her elbow-length gloves. She was neither as tall as Reavermon nor as well-protected; her attire consisted only of torso armor, a layered skirt, shoulder guards, and a wide collar, all of the same metal as her false wings. Dark purple hair fell just short of her shoulders; her eyes, the same hue as Kumi's, seemed the only things that remained unchanged. Emblazoned upon each of the angelic figure's pointed shoulder guards was the yin-yang that had shone so fiercely from the girl's D-Tector.

"Look alive, Devimon, 'cuz you're not gonna be that way much longer!" Holicmon's gloved fists glowed, and she drew one back as though to punch the demon from a distance.

"Wh—What?! Impossible!" Devimon spluttered. "Holicmon?! An…Ancient Warrior?! They do not exist!"

"Think again, hornhead! Inochi BLAST!"

Holicmon threw a barrage of rapid-fire punches at nothing; her glowing hands shot white spheres of holy energy through the air and into Devimon. The startled Digimon was bombarded mercilessly for several seconds before he managed to maneuver out of harm's way. Smoking and snarling, he thrust his right hand forward to sink his claws into her, arm extending far beyond its normal reach.

"Touch of Evil!"

"HiYAH!"

A swift pivot and kick in midair knocked Devimon's hand aside; the Ancient Warrior grinned maliciously and raised her fists.

"Want some more, doofus? Inochi Blast!"

This time, each of Holicmon's hands produced one large ball of energy, and she hurled them simultaneously at her opponent. Both caught Devimon square in the chest; he was sent crashing into the nearby treetops and took a few moments to emerge again, obviously battered.

"You'll pay for this!" The devil's voice rose to a shriek of fury. "Death Claw!"

Devimon's attack missed Holicmon completely, as she had disappeared. He whirled, searching for her, and was caught by an uppercut directly in the jaw. Hissing in pain, he spat out one of his fangs and slashed furiously for the warrior beneath him, but failed to come into contact with her in any way – until she swooped upward and kicked his head.

There was the crick of something snapping; Devimon howled, clutching at his face. Holicmon flew out of immediate range and stood on air, resting one hand on her hip and cocking her head to the side slightly.

"You're even dumber than you look," she grinned, tossing her hair with one hand. "Don't you know not to mess with an Ancient Warrior?"

Her enemy's bitter curses ceased, and he glared at her with a mixture of rage and bafflement.

"You cannot be Holicmon!" he managed. "You…you are a _legend!"_

"I _am _Holicmon," the Ancient Warrior corrected, "and you're _history!"_

Raising her left hand, the angelic Digimon spread her fingers wide, palm facing Devimon. Her right hand pointed itself towards the sky, and a swirling mandala of light appeared beneath her feet, forming itself into an elaboration of a yin-yang symbol. It took Devimon a moment to realize that there was also one beneath _him, _and that try as he might, he could not move away from it. His red eyes widened.

"No—!"

Holicmon's right hand dropped with all the force of a guillotine.

"CIRCLE OF LIFE!"

The yin-yangs beneath herself and Devimon shone in unison; Holicmon remained motionless and unaffected, but Devimon arched his back, screaming, and burst violently into strings of fractal code. A small, glowing Digiegg floated away silently as Holicmon procured her black-and-white D-Tector and held it in front of her face.

"Your life has been taken because you compromised the lives of others!" she declared. "May death teach you what life is truly worth! Fractal code digitize!"

And with one sweeping motion, she scanned all of Devimon's data into her Digivice.

"Most interesting."

The image within the massive crystal flickered slightly, zooming in on Mercurymon and the five humans now crowded around a smug-looking sixth. AncientTrojamon peered intensely at the scene.

"It appears that the Warrior of Life has been awakened."

"Indeed it does," concurred a gigantic beetle opposite the wooden horse. "First the Warrior of Souls, then the Warrior of Life…Is there a predestined sequence to their awakening?"

A rumbling growl drew all eyes towards a great ebony cat sitting in the shadows.

"Does it matter?" AncientSphinxmon questioned. "Or should we not be asking ourselves why these warriors are here at all?"

From somewhere across the huge council table, a shaggy yak-like creature shook his head vigorously.

"Now _that _doesn't matter!" AncientMegatheriumon snorted. "All that _matters _is getting those children here safely before Lucemon gets wind of this. AncientGreymon, shall I also send a representative to assist them?"

The appointed leader of the Ten Elemental Warriors shifted slightly.

"Only if it is necessary." His rumbling growl of a voice rippled like low thunder through the chamber. "We do not wish to attract Lucemon's attention to them. AncientWisemon, what say you to this?"

"I do not see a need." The robed mirror folded his sleeves placidly. "I have every confidence in Mercurymon. Anything excessive will only attract Lucemon's notice, as you said."

AncientMegatheriumon grunted in displeasure but made no contradictory remarks. Ten pairs of eyes focused once more on the central crystal, pondering those within it. It was several subdued minutes before someone ventured to break the contemplative silence.

"So…" AncientMermaimon murmured softly. "Which warrior shall be next?…"

Lady's Notes: Well, there's my first contribution to HotShot's story. To let you know, HS bases a lot of her Digimon off of Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and Holicmon looks pretty much exactly like the Dumanis Valkyria. Try looking for a picture of it…my computer refuses to display web addresses in any form, even without a hyperlink. --;;

HotShot: Reavermon isn't based specifically off of one card, so you'll just have to use your imagination. P We'll tell you which cards the others look like, though, so you can check 'em out!

Lady's Notes: And please, _please_ review this chapter with constructive criticism! Flames and two-sentence compliments do me absolutely no good as a writer. If you say anything positive or negative, be as specific as you possibly can. Thanks a million to any who give input!


	3. All Washed up! Tsunamimon!

HotShot's Notes: As a bonus for making you all wait so long for updates, here's chapter three, by me!

Lady's Notes: Hey, that rhymed! -.- Enjoy, folks!

"Oh yea! Who's got the best spirit around?" Kumi whooped. Her shout got mixed reactions. Raze scowled, Kevin raised an eyebrow, Lance rolled his eyes, Acqua snorted, Diana shrugged, and Mercurymon gave a small smirk. "I mean come on! Didn't you dorks see me beat up Devimon!?"

"Please, we have no time for this nonsense, keep you mouth shut will you? I need to think," Raze said rather bluntly as she shoved branches and such out of her way. Kumi glared.

"Yeah well anyhow, I have to say for weird world, I got the best spirit," Kumi said proudly. However, a smooth deep voice corrected her.

"Not so milady. Actually, Raze possesses the spirit of the leader of the Ancient Warriors," Mercurymon said from where he had been walking in the back.

"What? Then how come she didn't appear when we had to fight Devimon," Kumi said rather smugly.

"I'm sure that the spirit did not answer for a good reason," Raze said in a blunt tone.

"Oh yea? And why do you think that," Kumi ask scowling and suddenly two new voices spoke that caused the whole group to jump in surprise.

"Because I did have a good reason."

"Yea and she never has a bad reason." Everyone looked in shock as Raze's and Kumi's D-Tectors glowed brightly and suddenly two streams of data flew out and materialized into two very different warriors. Behind Raze was the tall and heavily armored Reavermon while behind Kumi was the lightly armored and slightly shorter Holicmon. Holicmon had a broad grin on her face as she stood with her hands on her hips while Reavermon's expression was hard to read for her face guard as she leaned on her sword in front of her. "Reavermon has always been the boss; she's the one with brains."

"True, and as I said, I did have a good reason not to answer Raze," Reavermon said in her calm voice while every stared in shock. "I am pleased to meet all of you, especially you Mercurymon, please give my regards to the Legendary Warriors the next time you speak with them." Mercurymon could only nod a bit numbly.

"Um ok, but Reavermon, why didn't you answer my call," Raze asked and by reading the bit of Reavermon's face as everyone could see, the warrior looked just a bit sheepish.

"I knew that if we had fused together, we could have easily beaten Devimon. However, if we had, Miss Kumi here would not have found Holicmon," Reavermon said nodding toward the girl in question.

"Exactly, Reavermon always did think ahead. And of course Kumi, if you had never found my spirit, then the Warrior of Life wouldn't exist," Holicmon agreed. "Besides, it would have been a clash of powers if the Warrior of Souls went up against a really powerful dark Digimon. Reavermon knew it would have been better to have a force of light face darkness."

"Ok, now that you gave us a reason, how about telling us WHY you called us," Kumi said glaring at Reavermon who shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but we can't tell you know. It's not the time," Reavermon said solemnly.

"Yup, not until the whole gang is back together! Although it will be rather interesting when you-know-who joins up with the group again. Ya know, bird brain," Holicmon said laughing, but was cut short by a look from Reavermon.

"Bird brain? Who could that be," Lance asked and the only answer he got was a giggle from Holicmon and a slight sigh of impatience from Reavermon.

"That we can't tell you, but we can lead you on the right track, travel to the place known as Seashell Cove, there you will find where to go next," Reavermon said warning Holicmon who looked like she was ready to laugh again with a nasty look. "Farewell for now."

"Hey! Wait a second," Acqua shouted but the two warriors once again turned into data and zoomed back into Raze's and Kumi's D-Tectors. "Bummer. Well, where and what is this Seashell Cove?"

"Tis a favorite place for many Digimon to go relax. Tis that way," Mercurymon said pointing a bit east where a thin blue horizon could be seen.

"Wow! That must be the ocean! Race you guys there," Lance shouted as he dashed off, with the others groaning behind him. Soon enough they had reached an empty and long stretch of sand dotted with strangely shaped rocks and the wide blue ocean.

"Whoa! The perfect ocean paradise," Acqua squealed and Raze winced.

"Could you PLEASE not do that," she said tapping her ear. Acqua did not notice the question however.

"Ah too bad we don't have any…wait!" Acqua shouted as she pointed to a small beach shack that said RentalSwimsuits.

"Oh God help me," Raze said muttering as everyone except for her and Mercurymon raced over yelling in excitement to the shack. "I'm surrounded by immature children!"

"Beg thy pardon milady, but art thee also considered a child," Mercurymon asked with the barest trace of teasing in his tone. His reward was a handful of sand thrown in his face. Acqua was now sporting a sapphire blue swimsuit, Lance had yellow swim trucks, Kevin had red and white ones, Diana had a white swimsuit, while Kumi was wearing a black and white swimsuit. Raze planted herself beneath a palm tree covering her face while Mercurymon decided to sit beneath another one.

"Last one to the water is a moron," Acqua called as she raced to the water.

"Hey! We're not morons," Lance shouted as he raced after her. Kumi ignored everyone with a disdainful air as she planted herself on a towel to sun bathe. Pretty soon, Acqua, Lance, Diana, and Kevin were laughing as she playfully splashed each other. Mercurymon seemed to be lost in his own musings while Raze was trying to sort out her own thoughts.

_I just can't believe it. We're in some world made up of completely of data and we were supposedly called here by mythical Digimon known as the Ancient Warriors. _These thoughts went through Raze's head as she thought. _"Then we meet up with Mercurymon here who says he's some ambassador to the Elemental Legendary Warriors who we have no idea who they are. Then he says that there's some evil psycho named Lucemon who's trying to put a dictatorship over the world."_ Raze's eyes turned thoughtfully to the tall jade green Digimon to her right leaning casually against a palm tree. _And what was that weird feeling I got when he first spoke? It was like I knew he wouldn't hurt us just by listening to him." _"What is it about him," Raze said a bit out loud and she quickly blushed when she saw that her words had attracted the Digimon's attention. _Better pull yourself together Raze, talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity."_

Mercurymon gaze turned toward the young teenage girl who had been sitting beneath the palm tree for quite some time. He had gotten a strange feeling of her when he had first met her. She carried an aura of sadness and pain about her, forming an emotional shield against most outsiders. It would seem that the only people who had penetrated the shield were her brother and friends. He could not help but feel respect for her when he had seen her try to spirit evolve against Devimon. He could see that she would put her life second to others. She had the air of a leader and he could see that all except for Kumi respected her. He knew that Reavermon, the most cunning and crafty warrior of the Ancient Warriors, had chosen this Raze as her chosen partner. The two were very alike in their will power and personality. _"But interesting on how she had trusted me the first time I spoke…like she knew I wouldst not hurt her comrades…" _

Perhaps there was more to this human then meets the eye. For the next hour Raze and Mercurymon would keep throwing glances at each other, but when they caught each other's gaze, they would both turn away blushing. Like two young teenagers trying to catch the other staring at them, it kept going until it caught the attention of another.

Kumi stared at the two where she was lying on her towel. She was annoyed on how the two would try to avert their gaze from the other. She had not gotten exactly a positive reaction when she had first met Raze. _"That Raze…she's just arrogant. She thinks just because she has the spirit that is the leader she's the best already. Who defeated Devimon!?" _Kumi scowled as these thoughts went through her head. _"I'll show her who's really the best around here!"_ Her thoughts were cut short when a large wave just happened to wash over her. She shrieked in surprise, which attracted the attention of the two on land and the laughter of the others.

"Sorry Kumi! But ya should have known that the tide would go up," Acqua gasped out between her laughing as the bedraggled Kumi looked as though she would like to do nothing more then pounce on Acqua and give her the beating of the century. Raze's mouth lifted in the smallest trace of a smile while Mercurymon was laughing in his deep smooth way. However, Kevin's attention was soon caught by another item.

"Hey! What's that over there?" He pointed toward where cliffs curved around to form a crescent shaped bit of a lagoon where the HUGEST whirlpool that the group had ever seen was.

"That is known as the Bottomless Abyss, none have ever found out what tis like to be suck down tis depths," Mercurymon said as everyone else stared at it with suspicious eyes.

"Well, I don't think we'll have to worry about it. I mean the only way one of us is going to fall into that thing is that is something were to knock us into it," Lance said reassuringly when suddenly a huge explosion of water burst out behind him. "What the crap!?"

Everyone watched in shock as suddenly a HUGE white squid rose out of the ocean, sneering and jeering and a large blue and yellow sea serpent also appeared.

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: Gesomon

Type: Data

Description: This deadly squid Digimon takes pleasure in wreaking havoc around beaches. His Coral Crusher and Elastic Arms will put the squeeze on all his enemies!

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: Seadramon

Type: Data

Description: This sea serpent Digimon takes great pleasure of causing trouble. Beware of his Ice Breath and Ice Winder attack!

"What's this? Humans! Let's crush them," Gesomon gurgled. Seadramon's face curled up into a sneer.

"Then let's see if they really are as squishy as I have heard," Seadramon jeered.

"Not so fast! You're gonna have to fight us first," Kumi shouted as she flicked out her D-Tector.

"Count me in," Raze said as she also pulled out her D-Tector.

**Execute! Spirit Evolution!**

"Holicmon!"

"Reavermon!"

"What!? Ancient Warriors!? They exist!?" These words were spluttered out by Seadramon and Gesomon.

"While I may not agree with your methods, let's show these fools what we can do," Reavermon said as she charged forward, Holicmon behind her. "Let's start things up! Reaver Blade!" However, Gesomon and Seadramon merely had to duck underwater to avoid Reavermon's sword.

"Let me show you how it's done! Inochi Blast!" One large orb of white energy was thrown at the two Digimon, but they again ducked underwater. "They're too fast!"

Mercurymon had joined into help, but to no avail. The two ocean Digimon easily dodged every attack.

"Everyone follow me," Acqua shouted as she raced away and they were running right pass the cliff over the whirlpool! "Watch your step!"

"Ice Breath!"

Seadramon's ice attack hit Holicmon dead center and her wings froze, causing her to fall right into the water! "Ice Winder!" Now Seadramon's ice blasted Holicmon and then his tail wrapped around Holicmon in a crushing embrace.

"Elastic Arms!" Gesomon now had Reavermon and Mercurymon in his grasp, slowly squeezing them while the two struggled to escape.

"We can't last much longer," Reavermon gasped out while struggling.

"True milady, the far more important thing to ask is what to do now!?" Mercurymon gasped out as he could feel his body starting to crack from the strain.

Seadramon noticed the other group and a wicked plan hatched into his mind.

"Ice breath!" The blue beam not shot out and froze the ground right in front of Acqua! Acqua yelped as she slid on the ice and slid right over the whirlpool!

"ACQUA!"

Acqua screamed as she fell into the whirlpool and was swallowed by it.

"NO!" The others had to watch helplessly as Acqua vanished and the others were slowly being crushed.

_This can't be happening! I'm…I'm…breathing!?" _Acqua gasped as she floated down and noticed that she was actually still breathing! _"I can breath!? But how? _ Her gaze was somehow forced down to a large and beautiful seashell that was beginning to open. _"What is that!?" _ Suddenly the shell opened to reveal a small statute of a small blue and green figure. _"Could that be my spirit?" _The ghostly form of a blue armored warrior appeared before Acqua as the spirit floated toward her. Acqua smiled as the spirit absorbed into her D-Tector and a wave encircled appeared on the screen. _"Pay back time!"_

"Acqua! Acqua," Kevin yelled as he, Lance, and Diana leaned over the cliff! "She can't be gone!" Kevin's gaze turned toward the three helpless Digimon that were slowly having the life squeezed out of them.

"Ha, these Ancient Warriors aren't as strong as I…WHAT!?" Gesomon yelped as suddenly the whirlpool gushed out two pillars of water and one of them slammed into his face. Seadramon was hit by the other and Reavermon, Mercurymon, and Holicmon shook rather violently in the air.

"What the heck was that!?" Holicmon's shocked question was answered when suddenly one pillar of water rose up of the now disappeared whirlpool to reveal a smug looking Acqua.

"ACQUA!?" Everyone shouted in shock as Acqua stood on top of the water tower.

"That's right! I'm back and it's time we even the scales!" Acqua swung up her D-Tector as the symbol of seas appeared. "Execute! Spirit Evolution!" A globe of data surrounded her as well as a twisting spiral of water.

"Tsunamimon!"

The water fell away and now appearing before the whole shocked audience was a tall humanoid fish warrior. The figure was lightly armored with blue, white, and green armor decorated with wicked looking spikes. The warrior's face was covered in a dark visor and her muscles rippled beneath the green-scaled skin. "Now you release my friends or I'll have to resort to force!" As Tsunamimon said this, she held out her hand and a stream of water flew up and shaped itself into a blue and steel trident with forked blades and a blade on the end of it.

"Give us one good…AH," Gesomon yelped as he suddenly saw the two tentacles he had been using to hold Reavermon and Mercurymon get sliced off.

"FURIOUS TRIDENT!" Mercurymon flew to the ground with a loud thump and Reavermon landed on top of him. "That's not all! I have plenty of tricks up my sleeves!"

"Grrr, you'll pay human! Ice breath," Seadramon screamed as the ray of frost shot out, but Tsunamimon merely raised her hand and a wave of water rose up to block the attack.

"Yawn, is that the best you can do you oversized eel? Let me show you how it's really done! Furious Trident!" The trident glowed blue as Tsunamimon slashed again and Holicmon managed to work herself free and back up. "Now its time to show you who's the real master of the seas! Tidal Wave Strike!"

Now a large wave of water rose and formed itself into a large fist like shape and pounded Gesomon and Seadramon into the rocks till they cried out and their rings of fractal code appeared.

"You two have caused enough trouble! May the sea wash away the evil that you have tainted this place with! Fractal code digitize!" Tsunamimon slashed her D-Tector and scanned up the data while two white Digieggs floated away.

"And I thought I had seen everything," Kevin muttered as Tsunamimon glided down gently to the ground where a dazed Raze was being help up by Mercurymon. Kumi was already on the ground looking sulky.

"And who's the boss of the sea round here!? ME!" Acqua cheered as she danced around the group. Kumi glared and kicked some sand up.

"I was wondering when you would find her," a voice said and everyone looked up to once again see Reavermon looking down at them. "It's good to see you again Tsunamimon."

"Same here! I thought I would have to be stuck down there forever," the spirit answered as she appeared behind Acqua.

"You knew that the spirit was here didn't you," Kevin said looking accusingly up at Reavermon and Tsunamimon.

Reavermon winked as she answered. "Of course I did! What Holicmon? Don't you have anything to say?"

"I do, did you have to let me be embarrassed, along with Kumi!?" Holicmon appeared with her hands on her hips, glaring at her friends. Though no one could see it, everyone could sense Reavermon and Tsunamimon grinning beneath their masks.

"Sorry about that, but we had to. Had to get those two morons overconfident," Tsunamimon said.

"So where are we off to next," Lance asked and all three of the warriors pointed right up to the highest mountain that they had ever seen. It was so tall that they couldn't even see the top for it was obscured by dense clouds.

"There," the three said at the same time.

The whole area shook as six different voices shouted," WHAT!?"

"This is going to be a very long day," Raze groaned.

Me: Whee! Gotta love it when they yell like that! To see a picture of Tsunamimon, search for the Deep Sea Warrior card. And stay tuned for the next chapter!

Lady's Notes: Yup! I'll be writing it, too! squeal Fanfiction is FUN! And y'all don't be lazy and leave without reviewing…Your opinion counts!


	4. Storm's Coming! Hayabusamon!

SEQ CHAPTER h r 1**Chapter Four: Thunderous Justice! Hayabusamon, Warrior of Storms**

"Okay...I spy with my little eye, something...brown!"

"Is it a rock?"

"Yeah! Good goin', Acqua! Okay, I spy something...tan!"

"Another rock."

"Something khaki."

"Rock."

"Beige."

"Rock."

"Dull yellow."

"Rock!"

"Am I annoying you yet?"

"Yes! Just...go bother someone else, Lance! You're giving me a headache!"

Lance sighed and shook his head, falling in step behind Acqua in the single-file line that had formed. The group had left the beachfront some hours ago and were in the process of hiking up a pathway carved into the side of a bare mountain, hoping to find shelter before nightfall in an hour's time. Ahead of Lance and Acqua, Kevin and Raze trudged along, talking quietly, while Diana hovered nearby. Behind were Kumi and Mercurymon, the latter having taken up the position of rearguard. The two were completely silently, owing mostly to the fact that Kumi was as conversational as a bag of dirt. This state of affairs bothered Lance, who could talk to a brick wall but preferred living company when available. He slowed down until he was level with Mercurymon.

"Sooo...How far do y'think we've gotten, Merc?" he questioned amiably. "We gonna be hittin' the hay soon or what?"

From the expression on Mercurymon's lips, Lance got the feeling that he would have raised an eyebrow, if he had had eyebrows.

"'Hitting the hay'? I am afraid my knowledge of thy species' colloquialisms be limited. To what dost thou refer?"

Lance over exaggerated a sigh and tried to rest an arm on Mercurymon's shoulder; however, the Digimon was too tall.

"Merc, my man, I've got something to admit," he began. "Now, I'm sure speakin' like Shakespeare is cool here and all, but if you're gonna be hanging with a bunch of teenagers from now on, you gotta talk the talk. You've gotta be able to communicate effectively."

"Pray elucidate."

"See? You can't do that. Just say, 'Please explain.' It's that easy."

"Very well, then. Please explaineth."

"No, no _eth. _Eth is out. Eth has been out for six hundred years."

"In thy world, not in mine."

"True, but I think that droppin' the _thees _and _thous _would improve your coolness factor by a ton."

"My what?"

"Coolness factor. The factor of your coolness."

"I hath no complaints concerning my temperature."

Lance slapped his forehead with a palm.

"No, no, man, coolness. The state of being _cool. _Like..." He stopped, trying to figure out exactly how to define the word. "It's just this thing you've got that makes people like you."

"Ah. _Je ne sais quoi, _then?"

"Bless you."

Mercurymon tactfully refrained from responding to this. Lance continued.

"Anyway, 'hit the hay' means to go to sleep."

The Hybrid bounced this phrase around his mind several times before testing it aloud.

"So, 'twould be something akin to...'Verily, I believeth 'tis approaching the hour whence we shall hitteth the hay.' Correct?"

"Um...Well, that was good." Lance wrestled down a grin. "That was good for a beginner. But you really need to lose those _eths _and stuff. You sound like the Bible."

"Whom?"

"Never mind. Just keep practicing."

"I cannot practice without sufficient material," Mercurymon pointed out. "If thou art so insistent, thou must teach me more of thy verbal mannerisms."

It took Lance about two seconds to realize just how much fun he could have with that opportunity.

The rest of the evening went fairly well. Before the gloaming set in, the group searched for some shelter and found a suitable cleft chiseled into the rock, hidden from roving eyes by a sharp bend in the road. The entrance was rather a tight fit, especially for Mercurymon, but the hollow widened abruptly to the size of a small garage and offered enough space for all. Everyone's visions of having to sleep packed like sardines happily dissolved. Unfortunately, there were other worries.

"When's dinner?" Acqua asked, even as the others kicked off their shoes and sprawled against the cool walls. The seemingly innocuous question gave everyone pause; they had snacked on some wild foodstuffs during their hike from the beach, but now the thought of a hot meal or even a hamburger made mouths water.

"Aw, Jeez, Acqua...Why'd you bring it up?" Lance rubbed his stomach. "I'm gonna pass out from starvation, thanks to you and your big mouth!" With a wheeze, he swooned and fell to the ground, yelping inadvertently when his head knocked a little too hard against the floor. Those who didn't laugh outright couldn't suppress a smile when Acqua began to unsympathetically jab his ribs.

"Ow, ow! Hey, cut it out! Have you no respect for the dead?"

"Only for the dead-dead, not the living dead."

"Living?"Lance scrambled back to his feet. "Do I look living to you? Look at me! A puny little skeleton with barely enough skin to stretch over my bones, wasted away to nothing because _somebody _had to talk about food!"He sucked in his gut as much as possible, trying to look emaciated; this compromised his ability to speak. "Urk...See? Starving!"

Raze's dark eyes hardened even as she smirked at Lance's antics. He had a good point; none of them were going to suffer real damage if they didn't eat tonight, but it wouldn't help morale any. The thought of rations had flitted through her mind during the day, but had been pushed aside so many times by so many other matters that it was no wonder she'd forgotten it. Still, it wasn't smart, and she allowed for some self-irritation before looking up at the expectant group.

"There's nothing we can do now," she admitted, nodding to the scarlet sunset outside. "We've got to wait until morning. No other choice."

Lance dramatized a death rattle and collapsed against the wall, sliding down to a sitting position.

"So ends the life of young Lance Horishime!" he announced mournfully. "Farewell to all, you who have been so cruel to me, as I go on to a better place!"

There was scattered applause. Acqua booed heartily and tipped the 'corpse' over before returning her attention to Raze.

"So...We seriously don't get to eat?" She didn't bother to sound optimistic. "That sucks."

"I know," Raze agreed, "but unless any of you are capable of digesting dirt, there's not a lot on the menu."

"Why didn't we think of this before?" Diana wondered.

"Because we're a bunch of idiots," Kumi replied in annoyance. "Yeesh, at least Merc could've remembered. Aren't you supposed to be the responsible adult around here?"

Mercurymon could only shrug helplessly.

"The matter weighed not in my mind," he confessed. "I myself do not partake of edibles. 'Tis not a thing I am accustomed to."

"You don't _eat?_" Kevin's eyes widened. "But then...How can you–" He stopped himself midsentence. "Err, well, I guess you can't really eat, can you?"

"Nay. I hath neither an ounce of flesh nor a drop of blood. The Warrior of Steel cannot simply be armed with such; he must be constructed so, the better to represent his element." Another shrug. "I experience slumber, of a sort, but food and drink art useless to me."

The idea of never having eaten anything, not even triple chocolate chunk ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles, was clearly horrific to Kevin, who looked at Mercurymon with new respect. Raze hid her amusement and tied some loose thoughts together before speaking again.

"Well, that's one less person to worry about, but the rest of us are only human...so to speak. We'll just have to make do on empty stomachs. For now, we should decide the order for the night watch and get some rest."

"Night watch?" Lance sat up from where he had been sprawled on the ground after his 'death.' "Wait...You mean, as in, watching in the night? In shifts?"

"Yes."

"Aww." He flopped back down. "I thought that was only in books and stuff. 'Sides, it's not like any bears can come and eat us or anything."

"Bears, no. Bear_mon, _maybe. That's why we have to be careful."

"Nobody knows we're here, though!"

"Lucemon may," Diana interjected, "though I hope not. Everything I've heard about that guy gives me the creeps." She shuddered slightly. "Rebel angel psycho thing."

"Hitler from heaven," Lance offered, toying with the words. "Or maybe Hitler from hell?...Hitler from heaven _and _hell. There."

"Thy nonchalance beith misplaced," warned Mercurymon. "The might of Lucemon hath no equal and wilt be bent towards thy demise if thou dost not take care to remain unnoticed."

"Unnoticed? How can he not notice us?" Acqua demanded. "We've been romping around and snatching up Spirits all over the place. We got half of 'em in one day!"

"But his thoughts art not turned hither. His eye resteth on the rebellions elsewhere." Mercurymon's musings were low, as though he were speaking to himself. "'Tis fortunate that we hath been blessed with seclusion, but in naught but a day's travels we may findeth ourselves in his territory. Prudence must be exercised."

"Prudence-shmoodence." Yawning, Lance twisted until he found a comfortable sleeping position on the floor. "All I know is that if I can't eat until tomorrow, I might as well forget it by sleepin'."

"Verily," Mercurymon agreed. His tone changed; he now spoke louder and more confidently, as though announcing some important fact. "'Tis time we hitteth the hay, so that thou may catcheth a large quantity of z's. This may not beith the hippest of pads, but 'twill do to crasheth here a single evening."

Everyone stared appropriately.

"My coolness factor hath been substantially elevated by means of grasping thy speech patterns," Mercurymon explained to the stunned silence. "I hath been tutored in 'slanguage.' Nay, art I now not as rad as thee?"

The stares dissolved into laughter. Kumi's was derisive, Raze's little more than an amused chuckle; everyone else looked like they knew they shouldn't be laughing but couldn't help themselves.

"Lance, you clownhead!_" _Acqua grinned and bored into her friend's ribcage with a shoe. "What did you do to poor Mercurymon?"

"Hey, hey! It wasn't me! I'm innocent!" He squirmed away. "I plead the Fifth Amendment!"

"That's only in America, doofus!"

"Oh. Well...Still! I plead the Digital World Fifth Amendment! Spare me the agony!"

A very bemused Warrior of Steel stopped a forthcoming thwap from Acqua.

"Stay thy blow, maiden. What hath he done to incur thy ire?"

"Mercurymon?" Diana said, still smiling. "Please forget everything Lance told you about 'slanguage.'"

"For your own health and safety," Acqua added, "if not his." She laughed even as she bent over Lance again. "No one even says 'rad' anymore!"

Raze looked to Kevin to see his reaction and found him fast asleep, curled against a jutting piece of the wall with his D-Tector clutched protectively in one hand. Her face reset itself from amused to its normal expression - flatly resolute. She stood.

"Let's call it a day, everyone. We've got a lot to do tomorrow and we'll need the energy for it. There's still the matter of the watch, however."

"I layeth claim to the first shift," Mercurymon said immediately. "I suspect I needeth less sleep than thou humans."

"Alright, then," Raze conceded. "The rest of us can watch in pairs for three hours, except Kevin, and–"

"Uh, hello?" Kumi interrupted. "One, that's not fair, and two, that leaves an uneven number."

"One, Kevin's already asleep and a little young for this, and two, our favorite prankster _Lance _has earned the honor of the second shift."

Lance sat up abruptly.

"Hey, no fair! I didn't do anything wrong! Why do I have to watch by myself?"

"'Cuz you're a dork," Acqua answered, sounding pleased with Raze's decision. "Me n' Diana can go after him."

"And Kumi and I will finish up the night," Raze concluded. "Everybody get as much rest as you can. You'll need it."

And so it was that ten minutes later, Lance was mumbling himself to sleep next to a wall, wondering how many stars he could count in three hours.

Actually, Lance didn't see a single star on his shift. By the time Mercurymon shook him awake and made sure he was going to stay that way, it was pouring down rain.

Bleary-eyed, the tired teen stuck his cupped hands outside the shelter and splashed the collected water into his face. It was frigid, and he jumped at its icy bite.

_Just my luck, _was his lament, as a bolt of white lightning from somewhere on the mountaintop illuminated the area. It disappeared instantly, leaving spots dancing before his eyes. _Some storm, comin' off of the peak so fast. Even the weather here doesn't make sense. _

Clearly, some cosmic force thought it was hilarious that Lance had to sacrifice his sleep to stargaze, and had figured it would be even funnier if the stars weren't visible. Sighing, he blinked away the aftereffects of another lightning flash and nearly fell over when a roar of thunder ripped open the air, loud enough to send his ears ringing.

"Ah, great..." he complained aloud; the thunder had left an echo in his head. An annoying echo, at that - faint but distinct, and oddly rhythmic. Like he could hear his pulse in his ears.

Funny how his pulse sounded like high-pitched beeping.

And how that beeping reminded him rather strongly of the noise made by others' D-Tectors when Spirits had--

Lance tore his D-Tector from his belt and gaped.

_My Spirit! _

Whirling around, Lance hid the small light of the D-Tector inside his shirt and scanned the slumbering faces of his companions. Everyone seemed completely dead, even Mercurymon, though the only way to tell was because his lips had vanished. He stopped himself just before shaking Acqua awake and considered his options.

He had two choices. Either cause an uproar and send everyone tromping through the driving rain to find whatever his Spirit turned out to be, or sneak out himself and snatch it while the others slept. Whatever he did, he had to do fast - the last thing he wanted was for that glorious signal to fade out and die. And the more he thought about it, the less attractive the first option became.

_Why wake 'em up just for me? They'll prolly get mad, or think I'm joking. _And how much would it rock for him to parade back to the cave as an Ancient Warrior, shining and majestic, and probably (he fantasized) with a D-Tector full of slain enemies' data. It wasn't like anything could see their hole-in-the-mountain niche in this storm, or smell it out with the rain washing everything downhill.

_Still...Something bad could happen... _His daydreams nudged him persuasively once more, and he frowned, torn between the options.

"Should I go find it?" he asked the rain aloud.

Thunder clapped approvingly.

Despite the wrath of the elements outside, the figures snuggled in the cave were perfectly comfortable - if being dead asleep counted for that. Even if any of the kids had snored, it wouldn't have been audible over the storm's fury, what with the wind and the rain and the growls of malcontent thunder. So it was no surprise that when three D-Tectors glowed softly and emitted translucent semblances of their respective Ancient Warriors, not even Mercurymon woke to notice.

The three wraiths glided to the cave's mouth, phasing through stones and sleepers like so much air. A lightning flash reflected off of the vaporous figures faintly; their hushed voices sounded like they were coming from down a long hallway.

"Beakbreath _would _pick a time like this to wake up, wouldn't he?" Holicmon, arms akimbo, stared out into the rain. "Can't see a thing out there."

"It _is _his element, you realize," Reavermon pointed out. The Warrior of Life rolled her eyes.

"Oh, _duh, _but seriously...That kid went off by himself, didn't he? He could get hurt or something."

"He's not 'that kid,'" Tsunamimon reminded her ally. "He's Lance."

"Yeah, yeah. I knew it was France or Pants or something like that. Humans have the strangest names."

Tsunamimon shook her head in slight exasperation before looking up at a contemplative Reavermon, shimmering a ghostly white against the dark rock.

"What's on your mind?" the Warrior of the Seas inquired. "We'll be two-thirds of a group again soon, if Lance can find the Spirit's resting place. Why the worry?"

It was hard to tell even in the best of circumstances when Reavermon was worried; her eyes were the only visible part of her face, and they often said little. Now, however, there was emotion there - if not worry, then at least a somber thoughtfulness.

"I am afraid," she admitted, "that things are, at present, going..."

"Wrong?"

"...terribly smoothly."

"Ah." Realization flickered over Tsunamimon's visage. "You mean...?"

"Yes. Them."

"Pssh!" Holicmon flipped a dismissive hand immediately. "No way! Don't even go there, Reave - they're dustbunnies by now. It's been millennia."

"True. But I do find the fact that we are halfway reunited in less than twenty-four hours a "

"Well, don't sweat it." Holicmon amused herself by sticking an arm outside the cave, watching the rain pass through it. "There's still plenty of time for everything to go horribly wrong, even if _they _never show up. 'Sides, I wouldn't mind squaring off with 'em one more time." She gave the pelting rain a few practice punches. "You worry too much, anyway."

"It's called thinking ahead, Holicmon."

"Oh, same difference."

Near Tsunamimon's feet, Acqua mumbled something and rolled over, curling into a ball against the coolness brought on by the storm. Automatically, the three Warriors scanned the cave for signs of wakefulness. There weren't any...yet.

"Best call it quits," Tsunamimon suggested, levitating over Acqua. "They can't know anything, not until they're ready." She began to glow. "Let's hope our feathered friend didn't put his Spirit somewhere inaccessible."

"He probably did," was Holicmon's reply, as Tsunamimon became a filament of silver light and slithered back into Acqua's D-Tector. Holicmon did the same, causing the D-Tector beside Kumi to flash once before fading.

Reavermon kept up her silent musings for a few minutes more before finally turning and floating to the back of the cave. Her face was again unreadable as she looked down upon her chosen human for a moment, then dissolved into data.

Storms in the Digital World were different from those of home. In Tokyo, weather this ferocious would mean flooded gutters, bad roads, and the occasional electrical surge that reset everybody's microwave clocks. On the side of a bare mountain in a corner of the Digital World, the storm just meant that everything was really, really wet, including Lance.

Especially Lance.

The ubiquitous rain splattered into his eyes as he trudged downhill, through rivulets of water that chilled his ankles. No, 'trudged' was the wrong word; trudging implied someone who was hot and weary, yet still perseverant. Lance was soaking wet, freezing cold, and thoroughly miserable. Dispirited and Spiritless, the teenager shuffled his sneakered feet down the hill and ignored their sad squelching, hoping that he wouldn't be criticized too harshly for being so stupid. Spending close to two hours hiking through a pitch-black tempest, hunting for an item whose signal faded in and out every few seconds, had been quite enough for him. He was ready to accept whatever punishment awaited him and his delusional ego.

A blinding flash of lightning, the challenging howl of thunder, and Lance stopped short. He had to wait for another vibrant bolt to confirm it, but his eyes hadn't lied - the narrow slit in the mountainside that led to the cave was just ahead. Breaking into as much of a run as he could made him slip and hit the ground with a splash. It was physically impossible for him to get any wetter, though, so the impact hardly bothered him. All he could think about was getting out of the elements and (maybe) snatching a few hours' sleep before dawn...whenever _that _was.

Wriggling easily through the small opening, Lance kept his eyes down and wrung out his shirt, trying to think of some explanation that might salvage even a fraction of his dignity. After squeezing enough water from his clothes, he raised his head and sighed, having come up with absolutely nothing to say.

Which worked just fine, because there was no one there to talk to.

Lance stood, dripping and immobile, staring at the empty grotto with an equally empty mind. The full impact of what he was seeing - or rather, not seeing - didn't hit him until he took a bewildered step forward and heard a metallic clink. Bending down, he picked up the object and shook off the water that had fallen onto it.

Acqua's D-Tector.

He tried to rub some tenacious drops off of the monitor using his sleeve, but this did more harm than good, as his clothes were much wetter than the device. Giving up, Lance was immediately struck by the notion that the others had gone off to look for him, and here he was, back again, forced to wait around for the group to return - and they'd be plenty mad, too, if they were out in this weather. However, the idea of everyone leaving - and of Acqua leaving her D-Tector behind - didn't strike him as rational. His eyes skimmed the cavern, checking for signs of the others: Acqua had slept here, where her D-Tector had lain; Kumi there, Diana there, Raze next to Kevin...

He stopped when he beheld the back wall, against which Mercurymon had rested. Mercurymon was no longer there, and neither was the wall. Instead, a gaping black void suggested the closed darkness of another, smaller chamber, or a tunnel leading into the mountain.

Well, it explained a lot...

As Lance crossed the cave and peeked into the wide passageway, he felt a vague uneasiness at having no idea of what was down there. He knew his friends were, of course, but considering the circumstances, odds were in favor of them not having gone willingly - which meant that something malicious had forced it upon them. His knowledge of fantasy and science fiction works was limited, but after his imagination kicked in, he managed to come up with a pretty sizeable list of things that might live in the heart of mountains. None of them were pretty.

_Come on, Lance. Get a grip. You can do this, right? I mean, hey, maybe nothing's down there...Maybe they all went exploring...or something..._

_Yeah, right._

The tunnel didn't wind that much; there were a few gradual twists here and there, and occasional side passages leading back towards the surface, but for the most part the path stayed straight. Eventually, he could hear noises bouncing back at him from the tunnel, the unmistakable splash of running water and an unidentifiable clicking and thrumming.

Had that been some light? Yes, it had to be. Guttural thunder preceded the appearance of this irregular luminosity; had he somehow taken a wrong turn and wound up at the surface again? The air seemed a little less stuffy, if only just so...Maybe the next bend would show him a familiar night sky.

Lance poked his head cautiously around the corner and gasped.

The tunnel opened high up on the wall of a cavern; what he could see of it in the gloom was gargantuan. Sporadic light came from a twenty-foot circular opening in the ceiling, as neat as though it had been sliced with a cookie cutter. Water streamed through this puncture, cascading in a round curtain down into the unseen depths of the mountain. Thunder from outside roared around the cavern like a wild, trapped animal, eventually falling away into echoes. Nothing bothered Lance so much as the lightning flashes, though, because those brief moments of illumination enabled him to see much more than he wanted to.

_What _are _those things? _They had to be Digimon, obviously, but that didn't improve their repulsiveness. Lance aimed his D-Tector at the cavern, hoping it could sense the creatures and identify them without him having to get too close.

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: Kunemon and Dokunemon

Type: Data and Virus

Description: These grub-like Rookie Digimon stun their enemies with paralyzing blasts from their antennae. Don't get in the way of their Electric Thread attack!

_Well, alright, they're only Rookies. 'Bout a thousand of them here, but at least they're Rookies. _

Lance studied the cavern again. The Kunemon and Dokunemon, yellow and green worms the size of terriers, scuttled along infinite threads that interwove throughout the vast space like a giant web. Near the waterfall, the threads united to form a colossal cocoon. Beyond that, the cavern had nothing in the way of physical features, save for a great many slabs of stone that jutted at angles out of the sloping walls. One thrusted upwards right below him, and he scrambled quickly down a dozen feet of inclined rock in order to hide behind it. It was from this new vantage point that he finally spotted his friends.

Glued by sticky thread to a nearby slab were Diana and Acqua, completely immobile; to the right, Kevin and a blob of gunk shaped roughly like Mercurymon had been tossed with less care onto another rock. Kevin's head rested on a pile of objects that included Acqua's turquoise jacket and many D-Tectors. Raze and Kumi, both unconscious, had been pasted to a yet another slab some distance away, right underneath the huge pod of thread.

_Houston, we have a problem._

Whatever plan had been forming in Lance's mind totally evaporated. Numbly, he watched as the Digimon continued busying themselves on their communal web.

_Think, think! _His brain restarted itself. _C'mon, dude, this isn't good. What's Plan A?_

Lance tabulated his resources: himself, the fact that none of the Digimon had seen him yet, his own D-Tector, and Acqua's. Automatically, he glanced over to where Acqua and Diana were pinned; it was steep, but he could get there with a bit of scrabbling.

_Good, good. We have a plan. Will they hear me?_

Between the thunderclaps, waterfall, and the fact that none of the Digimon seemed to have ears, Lance was willing to put money on not being detected - if he was careful.

_Money's one thing, and your life's another, _said his rational mind. _You're totally defenseless, basically alone, and still pretty wet. What the heck can _you _do against a gazillion bug things?_

It seemed hopeless, at least as far as logic was concerned. Fortunately, Lance had never been much for logic.

"So, what's the plan?"

Acqua yanked her neck out of the stickiness coating her and met Diana's worried gaze.

"Plan? Sorry, no plan here. I'm glued to a rock." She curbed the inadvertent bitterness in her voice, realizing that Diana wasn't responsible for their predicament. "I can't believe those stupid worms, zapping us while we're asleep. That's low."

"Mercurymon put up a good fight," Diana pointed out. "He–"

Thunder overrode the rest of her comment, which she left unfinished. Instead, she attempted to wriggle around in her glutinous bonds, hoping that perhaps something had come loose. Nothing. Grimacing, she squinted through a lightning flash and took a head count.

"I still don't see Lance. I guess he really isn't here, is he?"

Acqua growled.

"I think he got away, lucky dork. But he sure sucks at watch duty." She tried to jerk some of her hair out of the webbing. "If that boy is alive, I'll kill him."

"Well, that's some great incentive for me to help out, now isn't it?"

Acqua's gasp stifled itself into a hiss of annoyed relief as she tried to crane her neck down. She couldn't manage it, but knew that Lance was crouching below her, just behind the vertical block to which she and Diana were plastered.

"Lance! What are you doing down there?"

"I'm not sure yet. Those bugs haven't seen me, though."

"Great." Acqua squirmed violently. "Now would you mind getting us out of here?"

Before Lance could comply, a great clicking and hissing went up from the Digimon. Each of the many thousand weblines strung across the cavern began to radiate a sickly light, zigzagging through the blackness like electric wires. Kunemon and Dokunemon scuttled along their illuminated net, headed towards the massive cocoon. A couple dozen of them swarmed over Raze and Kumi.

"What're they doing?" Acqua demanded. "Lance, can you see anything?"

Lance squinted.

"I think they're...um, yeah, they've untied Raze and Kumi. They're headed to that big twine ball."

A panicked scream rattled across the cavern.

"Kumi's awake now, I think."

Acqua grit her teeth and wrestled with her bondages.

"Well, we gotta...freakin'...do something!" Gasping, she flopped back into position, though she hadn't been able to move much anyway. "Lance, get us out of here already! We've gotta get to our D-Tectors!"

"One step ahead of you." Grinning in the gloom, Lance scrambled up the side of the sticky rock, wrapping an arm around the top for balance. "I got your D-Tector right here."

"Then hand it over, genius! We don't have time for this!"

An ear-piercing, inhuman screech ripped through the cavern. The phosphorescent webbing erupted with light, temporarily blinding the shrieking teens. Dazzled, Lance lowered his arm and blinked spots from his vision, then gawked.

The cocoon dangled in two shining halves from the cavern ceiling, ripped asunder by the force of its occupant's exit. The thing now hissing and frothing at the mouth stretched massive hairy legs experimentally, ignoring the pounding water near it; its full attention seemed focused on Raze and Kumi, both bound helplessly.

"Wh-what is that?" Diana choked. Lance aimed his D-Tector at it apprehensively.

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: Dokugumon

Type: Virus

Description: Dokugumon traps enemies in her web before killing them slowly with her Poison Thread. Once she's on the hunt, she'll do anything to catch her prey!

Lance gulped, staring at the bulbous green eyes, bloated body, and bristly jointed limbs of the overgrown spider Digimon.

"I'm thinking that now would be a really great time to do something..."

Thunder growled as the Dokugumon lowered herself by a thick rope of thread to hover over the two girls, sprawled across the backs of dozens of larva Digimon. The Champion's saliva dribbled out of her foaming jaws and onto the tense captives.

"Hello, my pretties!" Her voice grated sourly, enough to make the listening humans cringe. "Precious little sssweetmeats from outside, yesss? Ssscrumptious, I'm sure! Let'sss have a little bite firssst, to tassste...shall we?"

"Lance!Give me the stupid D-Tector!" Acqua barked. _"Now!"_

This time, he obeyed instantly, sticking one end of the device into his friend's mouth. She half-glared.

"Thahnks..._Exthecute!_ Spiwit Evoluthun!"

Hundreds of buzzing heads swiveled to face the radiant spheroid of fractal code that Acqua had become; Lance almost lost his grip on the stone from the overwhelming light.

"Tsunamimon!"

The Warrior of the Seas easily tore free from her bonds and brandished her trident. Diana caught Lance's hand and scrambled up the side of the vertical slab as the Ancient Warrior adjusted her footing.

"You two go get the D-Tectors! I'll handle these creeps!" Tsunamimon's trident glowed a brilliant blue. "Move it!"

"Get them, my petsss! They've come to ssspoil our meal, yesss!"

At least two hundred Kunemon and Dokunemon automatically mobilized, their antennae sparking as they charged towards the three friends. Lance and Diana exchanged glances before leaping off of the rock and hitting the sloping floor just as the first wave of attackers reached Tsunamimon. They heard a cry of "Furious Trident!" and the shrieks of deleting worms, but didn't risk turning around.

Somehow, the both of them covered the twenty yards to Kevin and the pile of objects without sliding into the gaping hole that was the bottom of the cavern. Gasping, the two clambered up the side of the stone and looked back. Tsunamimon's speed and strength easily outmatched her opponents', but they were numerous and persistent. Venom bombarded her from all sides; three fresh Digimon replaced any one that fell. A circle closed in.

"Kevin! Kevin, wake up!" Diana shook him as gently as she could under the circumstances; Lance snatched Raze and Kumi's D-Tectors from the pile next to him.

"You stay here with Kevin and try to wake up Merc," Lance ordered, jerking his head at the nearby bundle of stickiness. "Big Momma's watching Acqua. I'm gonna try and get past her to deliver these." He clipped the two extra D-Tectors to his pants.

"What?" Diana's eyes widened. "Are you insane? There's no way she won't see you! And it's too steep!"

"Someone's gotta try," he pointed out, all traces of normal hesitancy gone. "I'm not gonna be a midnight snack for some spider. Be right back." With that, he dropped over the side and vanished.

"Lance!"

Too late. Lance slid a few feet down before snagging a good foothold and scrambling as quickly as he could towards Raze and Kumi, going diagonally upwards to keep from tumbling down the slope. A Tidal Wave Strike from the other end of the cavern blasted dozens of larvae off to the left, some splatting against the walls with a wet noise before dissolving. Lance grimaced and hoped Diana was making some kind of progress on Mercurymon; from the sound of things, Acqua was getting nowhere fast, albeit violently.

Catching himself on a fist-sized rock, Lance waited for a lightning flash to judge the remaining distance. Halfway there. The fat Dokugumon was clinging to her web high above and paid him no heed, immersed in shouting orders to her 'pets'; if he sprinted now, he might have a chance.

As soon as the lightning passed and darkness descended again, Lance pushed off from the ground and shot forward, heedless of the glowing webbing that dangled in his face. Raze and Kumi's slab was right there, he'd get to them; he unclipped their D-Tectors from his belt.

"Raze! Kumi! Heads up!" The devices sailed through the air, arching perfectly towards their owners - and were caught on some loose threads, sticking there in midflight.

Lance, however, had no idea of this. Immediately after letting them go, his right foot smashed into a stone, and he tumbled. The momentum from his hazardous dash and the inclined floor combined to send him crashing headlong down the cavern and into the roaring waterfall. His screams were lost in its noise as he plummeted.

Lance had never fallen through a mountain, much less while being ringed by cascading sheets of water. He was pretty sure, however, that the thing called gravity still applied underground, and that he should not be falling _up. _

It was exactly like falling down, save that he was going the wrong direction. Panicking, Lance twisted in midair to see a storm-wracked sky rushing at him far too quickly, as if he were riding atop some kind of geyser that was about to erupt. A few seconds later, he shot through the pouring rain, rolling end over end and hollering for help.

When he didn't fall back to earth and break into bloody fragments, Lance blinked raindrops from his vision and looked around. The fact that this flat area must be the very top of the mountain was pushed out of his mind by other observations, such as, _I'm floating, it's really wet, _and _my D-Tector's glowing again._

_What?_

Shakily, Lance unhooked the digital device from his pants, its screen flashing with the same symbol that had appeared on his cell phone in the real world - a jagged thunderbolt encircled by a whirling tornado. The D-Tector vibrated, then shot a beam of light forward, cutting through the black night and striking a boulder ten feet away. Time and the elements had smoothed the standing stone into an egg shape, though its surface seemed covered with gashes. _Runes?_

The wind increased, howling over the hole beneath Lance's dangling feet. He looked down to barely make out Dokugumon sparring with a weary Tsunamimon; the latter's trident had been torn from her and stuck in a mass of webbing.

Thunder and a blinding explosion caused him to shield his face instinctively, but his D-Tector's shrill beeping invoked a glance upward. He gawked; the rune-rock was gone, shattered to twisted fragments by a white-hot bolt of lightning. Another bolt crashed down and held its place, forming a column of yellow energy. Two slitted, avian eyes opened within it, piercing the storm to lock with Lance's own.

Numbly, as though guided by some will other than his own, Lance strode forward in midair. Immune to the lashing wrath of the weather around him, he reached the golden pillar and stepped inside, finding himself face-to-face with those eyes. They shone from within a palm-sized figure, like a winged suit of armor clasping a bright sword. Lance inhaled.

"My Spirit..."

The figurine glowed, shifted, flew into his D-Tector. The symbol there burned stronger than ever; Lance felt the power flow through him even before he said the words.

"Execute! Spirit Evolution!"

"Poissson Thread!"

Tsunamimon gasped, caught full in the chest by the dark purple cobweb. Her armor saved her from serious physical damage, but the force of the blow knocked her straight into a waiting pile of Kunemon, who blasted her with a hundred Electric Threads at once. Pained cries echoed around the cavern.

"Had enough, pretty one?" Dokugumon slavered as she chuckled. "You'll make a fine bite under all that crunchy metal sssskin."

Tsunamimon hissed at the pain seeping through her scales and raised her arm, weakly reaching for her trident. Battered but resilient, the Warrior of the Seas snatched it and readied herself for the final blow.

"Hayabusamon!"

_What the?_

A screeching winged shape blasted through the waterfall, knocking Dokugumon aside and diving straight for Raze and Kumi.

"Lightning Slash!" it called twice, with Lance's voice. The first attack freed Raze and Kumi from their bonds; the second released their D-Tectors from nearby webbing.

"Catch, you two!"

As the girls caught their respective devices, a horde of Kunemon and Dokunemon broke away from Tsunamimon and scuttled towards the newcomer, antennae sparking.

"You wanna piece of me, uglies? Then come and get it!"

Lightning flashed; Tsunamimon gasped. The Digimon had Lance's voice, definitely, but that was the only resemblance it bore to him. He could've passed for a tall human dressed in gold and white body armor, save for the fact that his head was that of a hawk. Feathered wings sprouted from underneath a billowing green cloak fastened to his back, and scaly yellow bird talons gripped the hilt of a glimmering silver sword. A symbol like a thunderbolt engulfed by a tornado adorned his reflective chest armor.

Tsunamimon pried herself from the wall and staggered to her feet, leaning on her trident for support as the rest of her attackers rushed to distract the newly evolved Reavermon and Holicmon.

"Get them, petsss! Take those ssshining foolsss! We will not be denied our feassst!"

"Not so fast, Your Ugliness! Inochi Blast!"

Hayabusamon's silver saber shone and crackled with electric energy.

"Lightning Fury!"

Hayabusamon was suddenly everywhere, hacking larva on all sides with his supercharged sword. Holicmon's rapid-fire barrage of white energy spheres annihilated any worms that survived the new Ancient Warrior's swath of destruction. Reavermon had already bounded the length of the cavern and cut Mercurymon free before reviving Kevin.

Dokugumon swung on a length of web, snatching for Tsunamimon and missing as the warrior sprang off to join Reavermon. Enraged, the arachnoid Digimon spun herself a platform and splayed across it, observing the battle between her forces and the warriors. Now Dokunemon and Kunemon were being deleted in hordes by the combined powers of Hayabusamon, Holicmon, Reavermon, and Mercurymon. Her bulging eyes spotted easy prey amidst the melee - a tired Tsunamimon, resting on her armored knees, protecting Kevin and Diana from potential harm.

With a bubbling gurgle, Dokugumon scuttled across the tattered threads swifter than her bulk should have allowed. Diana's scream was the only thing that alerted Tsunamimon to the approaching danger behind her, but it came a moment too late. One crunch from Dokugumon's mandibles sent draining poison racing through the Ancient Warrior; she devolved in a swirl of data only to be knocked aside by a bristly foreleg.

Sharp bits of stone nicked Acqua's arms and legs as she tumbled, screaming, down the tilted floor, towards the curtain of water that led to the mountain's roots. Just before she hit the liquid barrier, claws snatched her up by the shoulders, digging painfully into her skin.

"Sorry!" came an apology from somewhere above her. Groaning, the dizzied girl looked up to see a parted beak. Hayabusamon had her gripped in his talon-feet, flapping to hover. "Almost didn't see ya there!"

"Get Dokugumon!" Acqua managed to yell back, her vision stabilizing. "I'm fine!"

Hayabusamon's head snapped up, eyes darting to see Dokugumon looming over Diana and Kevin. Screeching, the avian knight swooped to the left and dropped Acqua on a flat rock before brandishing his sword and charging.

"Beat it, Bugface! Lightning Slash!"

The crackling blade slashed Dokugumon's back, slicing open the fat black exoskeleton. The remaining Dokunemon and Kunemon made for Lance upon hearing their mistress's cry of pain, but were held at bay by Reavermon and Holicmon.

"You'll pay for that, sssilly feathersss!" Dokugumon turned to face away from the Warrior of Storms, multifaceted eyes glinting with malice. "Poison Cobweb!"

Hayabusamon dodged, but the venomous net had been cast too broadly. It pinned him to the ceiling; a few thrashes entangled him beyond hope of escape. Rank, suffocating poison burned at his eyes and nares.

"Not sssso haughty now, are we, Ancient Warrior?" Dokugumon lumbered towards her struggling prey, the wound on her thorax seeping green blood. "Yesss, I know you. Your Sssspirit has sat atop my mountain for yearsss untold. Back to the darknessss with you, phantom!"

Half-blinded, Hayabusamon tore his sword-arm free of the webbing and lashed out. A satisfying scream answered him, and he struck again, this time feeling the point of the weapon sink into flesh. He buried it as deep as he could, then generated sparks across his body. Using the metal of the blade as a conductor, he electrocuted Dokugumon with every volt he could spare.

Another scream, this one melting into a bubbling hiss. Hacking at the dark purple threads around him, Hayabusamon freed himself from the toxic web and took to the air. A zap of his own electricity cleared his head and burned off the poison; now he could see Dokugumon crouched on a massive stalactite, sizzling and panting.

"Come and fight, birdie! I'll make sssure you die nice and ssslow!"

"Not on your life!" Hayabusamon gripped his sword, slick with his foe's blood. "No one messes with an Ancient Warrior!"

Dokugumon threw herself off of the stalactite and barreled down on Hayabusamon, her weight easily enough to crush him on impact. The Warrior of Storms took just enough time to gather extra power from the elements outside before thrusting his talons upwards, stained sword dripping.

"Tempest _Storm!"_

Raging winds, carrying with them swirling bolts of electricity and driving rain, exploded from Hayabusamon's talons and slammed into Dokugumon. The spider didn't even get to scream her last; the impact of the blast knocked her into the ceiling and flattened her. Her splattered remains glowed and turned into data.

"Looks like you're in need of a little purification!" Hayabusamon sheathed his sword and procured his D-Tector. "And I'm just the bird to dish it out! Fractal code digitize!"

The remaining Kunemon and Dokunemon fled as the light of their mistress's data being scanned illuminated the cavern. Hayabusamon watched Dokugumon's Digiegg float away quietly, then looked down at his D-Tector. He would've grinned, if beaks were capable of it.

"Nice going, Lance!" Reavermon bounded to him, Kevin riding on her back. "You actually did something right."

"Very funny, Raze."

A grating crack drew all gazes to the stalactite that Dokugumon had crashed into. Reavermon grimaced.

"I take that compliment back..."

Someone yelled "Run!" but no one needed the advice. The stalactite snapped free of the ceiling and plunged into the bottom of the cavern with a mighty crunching noise, breaking into pieces. Rain streamed through the new opening in the ceiling, but from the noises the roof was making, it wouldn't be there much longer.

"Everybody move!" Hayabusamon dove and scooped up Diana before veering to snatch Acqua in his talons like before. Chunks of rock the size of cars tumbled down on them, the din only intensified by the exposed storm.

Holicmon, dashing past them with Mercurymon in her grip, yelled something like "Thanks a lot, moron!" before swerving out of the way of a boulder. Hayabusamon flapped wildly and managed to narrowly avoid a piece of debris that would've shattered his skull. Sighting Reavermon, he followed the Warrior of Souls up and out of the collapsing mountain.

"Ow! Watch it!" Acqua gripped Hayabusamon's ankles for extra support and winced as his talons dug into her shoulders. "Move it already! I'm gonna fall!"

Adjusting his grip on Acqua, Hayabusamon listened to Holicmon's shout over the wind and crumbling stone.

"Merc says we should go this way!" He couldn't tell exactly which way she meant, since she couldn't point with an armful of Mercurymon. "Come on!"

As the last vestiges of the former mountaintop toppled in on itself, oiled by the incessant barrage of rain, Hayabusamon strained his wings and tailed Holicmon and Reavermon down the shifting slopes.

"Worst. Night. Of my _life." _Kumi scowled. "Period, the end." Crossly noting Lance's reaction, she added, "Will someone _please _make him stop dancing?"

Acqua wrung water out of her luxuriant blue hair, too weary and battered to pay the complaint any heed. This cave, at the base of the other side of the mountain, wasn't nearly as spacious as any of them would have preferred, but it was the first thing they'd found upon landing. Apparently, neither the cramped quarters nor the cranky company were enough to deter Lance from celebrating what he deemed an overwhelming victory.

"Ooooh, that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it! Uh-huh uh-huh!" Wet and bruised, he danced through the giant puddle that was the ground, waving his D-Tector. "Who's got their Spirit? Lance's got his Spirit! Everybody say–"

"Shut up!" Kumi clamped her hands over her ears. "We got captured, dragged through a mountain, nearly fed to a spider, and almost killed in a cave-in, and you're _happy?"_

"Remind me to never give him single watch duty ever again," was Raze's only comment.

"Aww, c'mon! We're all in one piece, right?" Lance grinned and elbowed Raze. "No permanent damage! And I got my Spirit!" He tossed his D-Tector into the air, catching it with gusto. "I _am _the Warrior of Storms! King of the air! Prince of the skies! And dead sexy to boot!"

"Oh, yeah." Acqua yawned as she curled up against the wall, drenched. "I'm sure all the ladies are gonna want a French kiss from you, Mr. Beaklips."

"Hey!"

Mercurymon wiped some water from his right shield.

"Dawn breaketh in an hour. 'Twould do thee well to sleep while thou canst. Thy commotion atop the mountain hath nearly brought it to the ground; 'twill be noted by many. We must maketh haste."

"Aw, bum." Lance sighed and fastened his D-Tector to his belt. "Well, we'd better get some grub before then. I'm so hungry I won't be able to sleep."

"Somebody throw something at him..." Kumi growled.

With a shrug, Lance found a spot along the narrow wall and stretched out, careful not to damage his D-Tector. After a moment, he reached a position that was somewhat comfortable. Despite the excitement of the past hour, sleep came for him quickly; underneath the sounds of the dying storm outside and Raze and Mercurymon's conversation, he drifted away on a thought.

_Finally got my Spirit...Which ones are left?_

Author's Notes: Hayabusamon is based off of the Yu-Gi-Oh "Hayabusa Knight" card.


	5. Heliomon’s Wrath and Artemismon’s Grace

Ch.5

Sun's Wrath and Moon's Grace

Heliomon and Artemismon

Kevin was wakened rudely from his sleep by a ray of sunlight hitting him right in the eye. He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes before his vision went back to normal. He then remembered were he was and gazed about. Everyone was still asleep, except he noticed that Diana was missing. He wriggled his way out from under his sister's arm and managed to creep out to the entrance without waking anyone up. There he spotted Diana sitting on a jutting bit of rock, staring out along the plain below the mountain.

"Diana? How long have you been out here?"

"Oh not too long, I'd say maybe a half an hour or so. This world is far different from home isn't Kevin?"

"Yeah…I guess so. I mean, there aren't many humans about and of course back home there weren't monsters at every turn trying to eat ya." Kevin's face showed complete innocence as he sat down next to Diana. "Hey…I wonder what our spirits will be."

"Me to, it crossed my mind a bunch of times. I wonder what would they be? I mean yea, Reavermon has the grace, Holicmon the attitude, Tsunamimon the strength, and Hayabusamon the speed…" Diana sighed. "I just hope we can find them soon."

"Hey, don't sweat it. The others did and so will we."

"Will somebody please make him stop?!" Acqua slapped her hands over her ears as she had to endure the bragging of Lance as she trudged along next to her.

"HAHA! I am Hayabusamon! Lord of the Winds, King of Rain, Prince of…OUCH!!!" Lance's brags were cut short with a punch from Acqua.

"Shut up already! You've been bragging ever since we got down from the mountain!"

Raze's eyes showed light amusement as she watched the antics of her two friends, she could always count on them to keep each other busy. However, her eyes hardened as she returned her attention to the task at hand. They had just gotten down from the mountain and had found the fourth spirit. Her eyes turned toward the plain they were walking through, it was like looking at a vast desert, only punctured with small rocks and dead trees.

"Mercurymon, where exactly are we going?"

"We art taking the fastest to reach the Elemental Warrior's stronghold, there is where we hope to learneth something from your spirits."

Raze's eyes showed little of her thoughts as she listened to Mercurymon. She turned away and her eyes went unfocused. _Just who are these Elemental Warriors? And we all still want to know why we were called here. Reavermon said that all would be told when the group was complete, that means that Diana and Kevin must find their spirits…whoever they are._ Raze's thoughts were cut short with a whine from a familiar source.

"I can't believe we have to walk through a desert! We're wasting our time!" Kumi's scowl deepened as she glared at the group appointed leader. Raze tactfully chose to ignore her and tuned out her voice. "Hey! Are you listening to me?!"

"Kumi…your complaining isn't helping much either so please be quiet." Raze's face now showed light irritation, something that was quite rare for her. Meanwhile, while the groups in front argued or complained with each other, Diana and Kevin talked at the rear of the group

"Hey Kevin, how long has your sister been like this?" Kevin looked up at Diana's question.

"Um, well, for awhile actually. I really don't want to get into it."

Diana kept tactfully quiet, she really didn't want Kevin to explain something that he didn't want to explain. But then again, she was quite curious. Her thoughts turned back to when she had first received the weird message. She had been taking a walk in the park when it appeared. At that time, she just thought it was some prank call that she ought to have checked out, but now she could tell it was far more serious.

"Um Diana? What are you thinking about?" Kevin's question burst the little bubble of Diana's thoughts.

"Oh nothing Kevin, just remembering the time when I got the message. I thought it was just a prank call of sorts."

"Oh really? Can't blame ya, kinda weird that these spirits call us up so that we can help save the Digital World and all. I think it'll be a great adventure.'" Kevin stretched as he gazed around; he was beginning to like the Digital World more and more. His thoughts though were on something he was eagerly wondering, what Ancient Warrior spirit was he? He had to admit, that he was slightly jealous that everyone else already had their spirits. He thought about maybe bugging the other warriors into telling who was left, but he decided that it would be a better surprise to find out what he was. His thoughts were cut short when some very annoying singing came form…you know who.

"Home…home on the range! Where the deer and the buffalo ra…OUCH!!! Quit braining me Acqua!"

"I will…once you shut your mouth up!"

"Ah come on…what's wrong with a little singing?"

"When it's being sung off tone. "Everyone looked at Raze as she spoke those words. She again didn't show any emotion, but a light gleam in her eyes showed that she had been joking.

"Look at that! Raze joking! The world is ending! Armageddon is….OUCH!" Lance yelp again as Acqua punched him again.

"What did I say? SHUT UP!!" The two antics brought smiles to most people. Raze's attention however was cut short when she spotted something in the distance.

"That odd, I think I see a town up ahead." Those ten words caught everyone's attention, especially Lance's and Acqua's.

"A town?! That means food! Clean beds! The comforts of a building!!" Lance tore ahead, nearly knocking over Raze and Mercurymon with Acqua close behind him.

"Lance! NO! Gah…" Raze rubbed her temples. "We'd better catch up with them before they get themselves in trouble or something!" Raze broke in a run after her two crazy friends with the others following behind her.

The other caught up with Lance and Acqua arguing with the oddest looking digimon they had seen yet.

"Ah come on! Let us in! We're not gonna do any harm!" Lance was arguing with what looked like a large metal star with legs and hands.

"Sorry partner, unless you got a good reason, you're not going in."

Diana looked curiously at the digimon and then pointed her D-Tector at it.

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: Starmon

Type: Data

Description: Starmon are generally peaceful digimon, but if you anger them, watch out for their Star Shower attack.

"Ah man…come one!" Acqua was arguing with a large wolf digimon with stripes.

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: Garurumon

Type: Data

Description: This is one digimon you don't want to mess with! His howling blaster attack will knock you flat on your back!

"Lance…Acqua…let me handle this." Raze shoved her two friends aside as she spoke to the digimon. Her voice was reasonable and diplomatic.

"Please, my friends and I just need somewhere to stay for awhile, we're headed to some people who are quite important."

"Sure missy, and my….GAH?!" Starmon's attention was grabbed when he saw Mercurymon. "A…a…legendary warrior?! Oh begging your pardon, you're welcome here if you're the friend of a legendary warrior." Mercurymon's smirk told his human companions that traveling with him would have advantages. Garurumon also bowed them past. "Follow me please, we'll take you to our leaders."

Starmon and Garurumon lead them to a hut a little large then the others in the village. "In here please." Everyone filed in and Diana gasped. Standing before them was an impressive tall werewolf digimon, along with a flame colored wizard looking digimon.

**Digimon Analyzer**

Name: WereGarurumon and FlameWizardmon

Type: Data and Data

Description: Both are wise and powerful digimon. Beware of WereGarurumon's wolf claw attack and FlameWizardmon's Flame Spell and Burning Sorcery!

"Greeting humans…yes, I know who you are. We thought that human were only legends until now. And greetings to you legendary warrior, we know that you fight to protect our world against Lucemon's evil." WereGarurumon nodded at the group.

"Yes, and we did wonder what happened on the mountain top. We saw the whole top part cave right in. I'm guessing you were the ones that caused it? FlameWizardmon gave a questioning glance at the group.

Kevin answered rather shyly. "Um…yea…it was kinda an accident. But um…thanks for inviting us here… What's the name of your village?"

"Our village is known as the Village of Day and Night." At the confused glances WereGarurumon got, he decided to explain. "Our village is blessed by the power of the sun and the moons. They say that it was here where the Ancient Warriors of the Sun and the Moons fell against their enemies in the times of old."

…_WHAT?!_

Kevin's and Diana's faces showed the greatest shock at the digimon's words. _Ancient Warriors? Here?!_

FlameWizardmon decided to cut in. "Legends also say that the spirits of those two warriors will awaken in the time of need. So far, they have slumber for a very long time."

"Um, begging your pardon, but…could you show us where they spirits are?"

"I am sorry, but no one knows where the spirits are hidden. The only thing that even closely represents them is the monument in the middle of the village." The wizard digimon hand pointed out the door at a tall obelisk, with funny runes written all over it and two blank spots. "Those runes merely tell of the warriors falling here."

Raze's thoughts ticked as she tapped her chin. "If it's not too much trouble…could we stay here for awhile?"

"Of course, please feel free to explore as well, you are welcome here."

Kevin had to admit one thing, this village was interesting. He met all sort of digimon, which mostly were champions, rookies, and in-trainings, as he and Diana wandered around while the others were elsewhere and Raze plus Mercurymon spoke with the village leaders.

"I can't believe, our spirits are here…well…somewhere." Kevin's mood drooped as he thought about how no one knew the place where the spirits rested. Diana's face showed sympathetic feelings toward the young boy.

"Don't worry Kevin, our spirits will show up sooner or later."

"I hope you're right."

Diana's thoughts turned to what the warriors looked like. For some reason, she always kept thinking about the warrior of the moons. She imagined a beautiful digimon, graceful and radiant. Kevin's thoughts of the warrior of the sun were images of a brave and powerful warrior. Their thoughts were cut short with the appearance of Raze and Mercurymon.

"Well Kev, they said we can take part in some festival that their getting ready to celebrate and we can stay here until tomorrow."

"They art generous to let us rest here."

"True, but I want to know why the village…" Suddenly the bright daylight that had been shining a minute ago suddenly changed to that of night with bright moonlight gleaming down. "What the…?!"

Kevin's bright little mind figured the whole thing out. "I'm guessing the village does this because of the warriors! They're opposites, so they change day to night in the blink of an eye!"

Raze looked a bit disturbed. "It still doesn't suit me all that well." Diana, however, felt more vibrant in the moonlight.

_What is it with me?_

Later, the group…except for Kumi, Raze, and Mercurymon, were celebrating with the rest of the village as they pranced around the monument. Great large lanterns of different creatures had been strung up along lines attacked to poles. Numerous tables had been set out with all sorts of different kinds of treats for the guest and digimon were laughing, dancing, and singing. Several digimon acted as a band as they blared out all sorts of different kinds of music for those to simply have fun.

Raze's eyes showed slight relief as she watched Kevin energetically dancing with Lance and Acqua. Lance was showing off disco moves while digimon laughed at his antics while Acqua was showing off with her 'busting a move' dance. Diana was show casing a waltz while Kevin was dancing with either Lance or Acqua. Raze was sitting off to one side, her face unreadable as usually, her attention focused on something other then the celebration.

"Ah come on Kumi! Can't you spell the word fun?" Lance and Acqua were trying to persuade a sulking Kumi into joining, but she scowled and tugged herself free.

"Yea? And what if I don't to have fun right now! Leave me alone!" She stomped off to sit on the ground, glaring at anyone that got near her. Mercurymon was standing near Raze, his armor gleaming in the firelight.

"Hey Merc! Come on! Let's see you bust a move!" Lance leaped until he was facing Mercurymon and Raze. "Where's your sense of fun?"

"I do NOT dance. Thank thee very much."

"Ah come on! What's the matter?"

"I…er…do not know how to."

"I do."

Mercurymon turned his attention to Raze, who had spoken.

"Thou doth?"

"Yes, I had to learn it back home at the insistence of my parents."

"May thou teach me?"

"Sorry, but no. Nothing personal, but I haven't dance for at least six years now." Raze's gaze turned upward to meet Mercurymon's. Time seem to stop right there for the two as they looked at each other. However, the moment was shattered by a certain person.

"Hey Merc! I can teach ya how ta dance!" Lance grabbed Merc's upper arm, trying to drag him out to dance. But Mercurymon, with slight annoyance, broke Lance's grip and tossed him back with the others. Lance ended up landing near Acqua and a bunch of digimon. Acqua laughed as she helped Lance up and dusted him off.

"Leave them alone Lance. Those two are so similar that is scary."

At this, Raze and Mercurymon exclaimed," WHAT?!" The two whipped their gazes at each other as if to ask," What did you mean by that?" Then the two turned away, obviously embarrassed.

"Ya know, that was the closest time I have ever seen Raze almost blush." Lance laughed at his joke and Acqua smirked. Raze didn't hear anything, her thoughts pushed all else out, the same went for Mercurymon. Kumi merely continued scowling, but her scorn was now more focused on Raze.

Meanwhile, the two digimon leaders were getting ready to join the celebration after finishing up a few tasks. Suddenly, WereGarurumon's keen ears heard a low snicker echoing out from the shadows. He motioned for FlameWizardmon to be quiet as he looked around.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" WereGarurumon's demand was only met with more snickering but it was getting closer, and then both gave cries of muffled pain as black claws gripped them around the mouths.

"Sorry, but I really don't like showing myself to strangers! But…I have a task for the two of you to do!" The high pitched voice snickered as he transferred dark energy to the two hapless digimon…feeling their hearts with evil.

Meanwhile, Kevin and Diana sat with their backs to the monument. The others had moved elsewhere, celebrating in a different part of the village. Kevin was smiling with pure joy; he hadn't felt like this for a long time.

"Isn't this great Diana? Few worries and lots of fun! Now this is what life should be like!" As he leaned back, he didn't notice that a part of the monument pushed inward. Diana laughed as she nodded. Suddenly her laugh turned into a surprise shriek as the ground beneath her and Kevin literally vanished as they fell into a dark abyss.

Raze's face wasn't flat anymore, it now showed great worry. Kevin and Diana still hadn't appeared and for some strange reason, most of the villagers were gone as well.

"Huh, where the heck did everyone go?" Lance's face showed confusion as he looked around at the abandoned village. One minute it had been teeming with people, but suddenly they had walked off and never came back. "Talk about a bummer."

"Guys, we need to look for Kevin and Diana! They still haven't appeared yet!" Acqua's face showed worry as well as she looked around.

"Sorry, but you have bigger worries! Dark Wolf Claw!" Raze only managed to dodge at the last minute when the attack slammed into the spot where she had been standing only moments before!

"What the…HEY!" Lance instantly was only alert before another attack narrowly missed him.

"Burning Sorcery!" Out of the shadows came the village leaders, but something was different about them. Now WereGarurumon was black colored and far more sinister in appearance. FlameWizardmon looked the same, but he too looked evil. "Next time, I won't miss!" This time he snapped his fingers and chains of flames appeared and snagged Acqua, Lance, and Mercurymon. They fell to the floor, struggling to free themselves, but the chains were too strong. "We'll destroy all of you, eventually, but these two will be first!"

"Not on your life!" Kumi yanked out her D-Tector as Raze did the same.

EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!!!

"Holicmon!"

"Reavermon!"

"Haha, it'll take more then that! Burning Sorcery!" Holicmon gave a cry as a large flame slammed into her, sending flying backwards and almost hitting Reavermon, who managed to jump to one side.

"Gah…as if! Inochi Blast!" FlameWizardmon formed a flame shield that blocked Holicmon's wild attack. Meanwhile, Reavermon was struggling to battle against BlackWereGarurumon.

"You're not taking us without a fight! Reaver Blade!" Her blade flashed as it homed in on the digimon's head, but suddenly two hands whisked up and caught the blade. Reavermon gasped as the BlackWereGarurumon heaved her up and tossed her into Holicmon.

"Pathetic, and you are suppose to be Ancient Warriors. Don't worry, we'll make sure that you are destroyed quickly." Reavermon leaped off Holicmon as she charged at BlackWereGarurumon again.

"Yea? Well at least we won't go out too easily! Inochi Blast!" The two warriors battled valiantly, but their two adversaries proved to be difficult and the warriors could tell they were fighting a losing battle. One thought raced across Reavermon's head as she attacked again.

_Kevin…Diana…where are you?_

As the battle raged above ground, below ground, Kevin and Diana were exploring the large cavern they had discovered.

"Dang, this place is huge! Where are we?" Kevin's face showed complete confusion.

"Maybe this…this was made by the Ancient Warriors! We're in some kind of hidden chamber! This may be the place where the spirits are hidden!" Diana's face showed pure excitement. "Let's get going Kev!"

"Hey Diana! I think I see something over there!" Kevin pointed to two large crystals; one was sparkling gold and the other gleaming pearl. Kevin dashed over and peered at them. They were huge, nearly three taller then he was, but when he looked closer, he could see a tiny figure implanted in the center of the crystals. "There's something in them!"

Meanwhile above them, the two village leaders had battered mercilessly at the two Ancient Warriors, until they were back up to the edge of the hole where Diana and Kevin had fallen into, of course, they had too much on their minds to see it. Reavermon heaved as she wearily blocked yet another attack from BlackWereGarurumon. She took one step backwards…and happened to place her foot right where the hole was! She gave a surprise yelp as she felt her foot step on empty air and she tumbled backwards into the hole. Holicmon noticed it and thinking quickly, she dove into the hole as well. The two enraged digimon gave chase.

Kevin looked backwards as he heard the sounds of bodies hitting the floor and gasped when he saw his sister and Holicmon battling the village leaders! "Sis!" He made to go after them, but was held back by Diana.

"No Kev! It's too dangerous! We'd just get in the way!"

Kevin struggled anyway, trying to free himself of Diana's grip, helpless tears falling down his face.

"Flame Spell!" The attack hit the already weak Reavermon who gave a pained gasp as she dissolved into a whirl of data, reverting back to Raze. Raze swayed on her feet for a moment, then fell like a downed oak tree, completely exhausted. "One down…and one more to go."

"Inochi Blast!" Holicmon's attack was deflected easily by the dark wolf digimon who gave her a violent punch, sending her flying into a wall. She fell limp instantly.

"Now, let's get rid of the human before we get rid of that one." BlackWereGarurumon grabbed Raze and prepared to snuff out her life.

"NO!!!! SIS!!!!" Kevin's cries were cut short when a piercing light flooded the room. The two dark digimon howled with agony at the blinding light that hit them. Kevin and Diana instantly spun around just in time to see the crystals crack and split open. Within, two shining figures radiant light brightly. One was a palmed sized figure of a great golden warrior. The other was a gleaming white and pearl warrior. "No way…"

"It's…our spirits!" In unison, the two raised their D-Tectors, each only shining its own symbol. Kevin's was the blazing sun while Diana's was the crescent moon. The symbols blazed brightly, but not blinding their owners.

EXECUTE!!! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!!!

"Heliomon!"

"Artemismon!"

Above ground, Lance, Acqua, and Mercurymon gaped in astonishment as light blazed forth from the ground. Even the capture villagers, whom were being held captive in a large tent, tried to shield their eyes as the light poured forth. Hurled forth from the hole were the two corrupted digimon who went tumbling head over heels before hitting the ground. Rising from the gaping portal appeared two warriors. The one holding Raze was a tall golden armored warrior. A gold visor covered his eyes and armor covered his chest, his upper arms, his legs, and he wore golden gauntlets, and he sported golden greaves for his feet. Emblazed on his chest armor was the blazing sun and the helmet he wore wrapped around his head almost complete, only leaving space for his mouth and nose. He radiant with courage and vitality and strapped to his back was a large bright golden sword.

In contrast, the warrior helping Holicmon up was smaller. About Holicmon's size, her armor only covered her chest, thighs, and upper arms. Her helmet had a pointed hood that shaded her eyes, giving them a dark look. Her armor was pearly white and the cloth beneath was a gentle forest green. Attached to her right arm was a large crossbow, though at the moment the two flaring ends were clamp tightly to the main body. A green cloak flared out behind her, stitched with the crescent moon. Her dark black hair flowed out behind her as the helmet curved down a bit to cover the back of her head. She wore pearly white gauntlets and boots. Only the eyes told everyone who these warriors were.

"No! The rest of the humans have found their spirits! We must destroy them now!" FlameWizardmon readied an attack, rage burning in his eyes, but Heliomon launched his own.

"Apollo's Sword!" A blazing sword beam slammed into the wizard, causing him to fly backwards. Heliomon gently lowered Raze to the ground and then gave chase to the digimon.

Artemismon raised her right arm and the crossbow set itself into firing mode. "My turn, Tri Moonbeam Arrows!" Three different colored arrows, blue, red, and yellow, launched out and slammed into BlackWereGarurumon, causing him to howl with pain.

"You'll pay for that human girl! Dark Wolf Claw!" He gave a howl of challenge as he attack, but Artemismon jumped into the air with grace, easily avoiding the attack. She landed a hard kick to the wolf digimon's head and then grabbed his arm to hurl him into a nearby hut. He struggled to free himself from the wreckage, howling with rage and frustration, as Artemismon landed a bit of a distance away from him.

"You have much to pay for, no one hurts my friends!" She raised her crossbow arm and it immediately began to glow white. A ball of energy formed at where the arrows would go and it grew larger. "Strike of Elune!" A great beam of white energy burst forth to form a large white tiger. It roared as it charged across the clearing to impact at one point…BlackWereGarurumon's chest. The digimon's eyes widened with fear and astonishment as the tiger went right through him, leaving a large gaping hole, and then he howled as a ring of fractal code appeared around his waist. The Warrior of the Moons stepped forward as she produced her D-Tector. "Your heart is filled with darkness, may the light and grace of the moon purify your heart! Fractal code digitize!" As she scanned the digimon data, Heliomon was still battling against FlameWizardmon.

"You will never defeat me! Flame Spell!" Heliomon easily shrugged off the attack as he placed his hands near each other. FlameWizardmon cursed in some language as he tried to launch another attack.

"I beg to differ, Helios' Solar Wheel!" A great wheel of blazing fire burst forth to slam into FlameWizardmon. A ring of fractal code appeared around him as well as Heliomon pulled out his own D-Tector. "May the light and strength of the sun clear your heart of darkness! Fractal Code digitize!" The two evil digimon reverted back to their normal selves, looking confused. The chains that had held the others captive vanished.

"Ah man…we missed a battle!" Lance rubbed life back to his arms as Acqua simply glared at him. Raze's eyes open to witness Heliomon return to Kevin.

"YEA!!! I DID IT!!! I DID IT!!! I GOT MY SPIRIT!!!" Kevin danced around with joy as he waved his D-Tector. Diana had returned as well, and a small smile was crossing her face. Everyone rushed forward to congratulate the new warriors, glad that the ordeal was over.

"Drat! It seems that getting rid of these humans will be a lot harder then I thought! Celebrate while you can, for evil will rise again!" The black figure's voice showed light annoyance as he spread his wings and flapped off to disappear. "But I'll be back and this time, I won't fail to destroy all of you in my master's name!"

Later, when all the villagers were free, the leaders apologized for what had happened. The chilly night air caused most people to shiver and look longingly at the huts.

"Please, we are terribly sorry. Something drove us to try and destroy you, and we still can't figure out what." WereGarurumon bowed humbly with FlameWizardmon.

"We only wish that tomorrow, you will have luck on your journey. The minions of Lucemon will have their eyes out for you." FlameWizardmon, with a very guilty look in his eyes, waved his hand. "But stay here for the night and rest."

"We'd be happy to." Raze nodded.

"I gotta say Kev, I'm completely impressed, but my spirit's still better." Lance grinned at Kevin who gave him a dark look.

"Whatever Lance, but Diana's got one of the prettiest warriors! Well, almost as pretty as my sister's that is." Diana gave a blush as she twiddled her thumbs.

"Oh you flatter me Kev; you've got a pretty cool spirit to!"

"Yea! I'm Heliomon! Warrior of the Sun, Lord of the Dawn!" Kevin jumped to his feet to show a dramatic pose, drawing laughter from most people. Kumi merely scowled as she hunched down, brooding.

"And I'm Artemismon! Warrior of the Moons, Queen of the Night, Lady Moonlight!"

"Ok you two, knock it off, we need our rest so tucker down and close your mouths."

"Raze…always the one to bring down the mood. Come on, what's wrong with a little…OUCH!!" Raze's foot connected with Lance's rear end as she booted him into the tent they were sleeping in.

"It's wrong when its time to rest my friend. So unless you want me to use some other means to shut you up…"

"Ok! Ok! I got the point! I'm shutting up!"

"Good and I hope you can stay that way for awhile."

"HEY!"

"That's right Raze! Show him some girl power!"

"You to Acqua, unless you want to share the same fate as Lance."

"Um…no…shutting up."

Mercurymon turned his attention to the six humans, who now possessed one spirit and were collectively now the Ancient Warriors. _They may have all their spirits, but now what? Tis strange incident that they now have all their spirits. I only hope that the spirits themselves have the answers we seek. And hopefully Lucemon wilts not notice this! Wilt we finally get the answers we want? Why are they here and what are they hiding?_

HotShot: Yea! Done with Ch.5! Whew, man…that's a lot more then I usually write. Anyway, Heliomon is based off the Girford Warrior (or something like that) and Artemismon is based off Dragoness the Wicked Knight. Stay tuned to learn more!

Raze: You write way too slow…you know that?

HotShot: Hey! It's not my fault that I got a lot of things to do in my NORMAL life! Its easy for a character, they just sit around and wait for the authors to do something!

Raze: Whatever, stayed tuned people. And don't forget to R&R or HotShot here might have a nervous breakdown.

HotShot: HEY!


End file.
